Forced into Darkness: Awakening
by Atomicstruck'ya
Summary: Set in the present ie 2012 and in Harry's second year of Hogwarts a young orphan comes to school. At first her life seems normal but soon memories start to surface that could lead her back into Darkness.
1. Introduction

_Attention: The first three chapters of the sequel are now up. _Hello everyone. This is my first fanfiction and I want the story to build slowly so if you decide to read this I'm afraid you're in for the long haul and the cross over elements with Black butler won't be immediately apparent. Apart from that I hope you enjoy what I write and I own nothing. If I was J K Rowling I wouldn't be on this website.

Chapter 1

In the midlands town of Oswestry there lives a young girl who lives with her foster parents due to her parents' untimely death. Her name is Luka Pearson. Luka received her letter from Hogwarts just after her eleventh birthday and it's now a fortnight until the start of term. At present she is sitting on her bed since she is grounded for trying to break open an old trunk she found in the attic. Luka's foster mother, Rose, heard her scratching around and informed her husband Jacob. The latter had then told Luka off for touching things that didn't belong to her. This lecture was finished with the usual 'If you keep doing bad things you'll end up Dark' warning. At this Luka had pleaded for forgiveness as she hated the thought of becoming a Dark witch, something so despised by her foster parents. This desire for absolution had pleased her foster father and he reduced her punishment from a dozen smacks and the rest of the holiday toiling in Rose's vegetable gardening to being grounded for a week. This punishment didn't bother Luka at all since she was happy to sit in her room and read in the silent presence of her long eared owl Elise. She was halfway through the dragon section of 'Fantastic Beasts and where to find them' when there was a knock upon her door.

"Luka?" Rose called.

"Yes Mum?" Luka asked in turn.

"Luka, I've come up to talk to you about why Daddy was so mad with you," said Rose as she sat on the bed next to young girl, "That trunk was locked for a reason. It contains some artefacts taken from a Dark witch and Daddy didn't want you tainted by such things,"

"Was she really that bad?" asked Luka nervously.

"Oh yes, the foulest, most twisted creature your foster-daddy and I have ever come across," Rose replied. Upon hearing this Luka grew uneasy. She hated the show of venom whenever her foster parents spoke of the Dark but then again she thought, since they were aurors they knew all too well the end result of going down the slippery slope. That was why they always warned her so.

"Well, it's nearly tea time so why don't we go downstairs," said Rose, smiling as she tucked a strand of long blonde hair behind her ear. At that Luka broke out of her reverie and she followed her foster mother out of her room stroking Elise as she passed. As she traipsed down the stairs she found herself contemplating a familiar question. When her foster parents smiled why didn't the smile reach their eyes? Over and over she had looked into their eyes and found not an ounce of warmth or affection merely cool attention and perhaps, Luka fancied, the faintest shadow of suspicion.


	2. At home with the Pearsons

Hello again. I was hoping to update once a month so this one's a bit of a bonus. Sorry but before Luka goes to Hogwarts you'll have to get to know what her home life is like. Though on the upside the next chapter will be on the Hogwarts Express. As before I'm not J K Rowling or Yana Toboso and I don't get money for this.

Her week's incarceration went quickly as Luka had all her new school books and she so loved to read. In addition to the standard texts she had bought 'Counter curses and magical self-defence for beginners' and 'Basic first aid potions and spells' with her birthday money. The former because she wanted to impress her foster parents with her defence against the Dark Arts grades and the latter because she kept getting scrapes and bruises from skating mishaps.

The first morning of freedom was accompanied by a plethora of errands to run. Namely picking up groceries, delivering a cake to old Mrs Bumble, a family friend, and picking up seeds from her foster mother's favourite gardening shop. Her first stop was Mrs Bumble's house as it was situated on the same country lane as the Pearson household but closer to central Oswestry. As Luka meandered closer on her quad skates she hoped that Mrs Bumble wouldn't keep her too long. She always wanted to talk and it was always about the same things. It gave Luka the distinct impression that she was Mrs Bumble's only point of human contact. Alas, Luka's hopes were in vain.

"Oh, do come in dear, get those strange contraptions off your feet," Mrs Bumble said immediately on opening the door before blinking and saying, "and what is that thing your owl is perched on?"

"It's a skateboard Mrs Bumble. It's one of the things left from when I had my parents. Elise just likes to sit on it because she's lazy," replied Luka looking at the bird in question who was perched, quite proudly, on the nose of the board. She looked like a feathery figurehead.

"Well, anyway come inside and have a slice of the cake you brought," responded the elder witch cheerily.

"Sorry Mrs Bumble but I've got to go into town for my fostermum," was the polite refusal.

"In that case would you be a dear and pick up my pills from the apothecary? The price for owl delivery is extortionate," the old lady asked. Luka nodded and Mrs Bumble shuffled back into her house to retrieve her prescription list before letting Luka leave with a pat on her head. As Luka continued on the road to central Oswestry she sighed to herself. Her foster parents told her to be nice to Mrs Bumble but it sometimes felt like the elder witch took advantage. This wasn't the first prescription run she'd been on.

A few minutes later neared the junction to the Muggle mainroad and stopped.

"You need to get off now Elise. Fosterdad doesn't like it when you come into town with me," Luka told her owl dejectedly. Said owl ruffled her feathers before choosing a new perch in a nearby tree. Luka then picked up the skateboard as it was easier to carry than tow when unladen and continued on her way to Oswestry's magic district.

Returning to the junction took longer as it was slightly uphill and the shopping was stacked precariously upon the skateboard secured only by a large quantity of string and the hope of the girl who towed it. Magic was forbidden until Luka stepped onto the Hogwarts Express. On seeing her mistress Elise fluttered to the ground in the hope of a lift only to utter a squawk of annoyance. There was _no perch_ for her to sit on.

"Sorry girl but fostermum's list was really long," This did not placate the bird as she gave the girl a disgruntled look with narrowed amber eyes before taking flight.

Fortunately the rest of the journey went quickly as Mrs Bumble did not keep her long. She just thanked her as she checked over the receipt and change. Luka had know she would do this so she had triple checked the change before leaving the apothecary. Her foster parents may keep saying that they saw the beginnings of Darkness in her actions but Luka didn't have the heart to steal from an old lady.

When Luka got home she hopped inelegantly over the threshold before kneeling to unload the skateboard. She always fell over when she tried to pick things up when on her toe stops. After that she took off her roller boots, propped up the skateboard and took the Saynberry's bags into the kitchen. No matter what her foster parents said about Muggles they couldn't fault the economy of their supermarkets. On her way Luka passed her foster father sitting at the dining room table reading the Daily Prophet. Luka's eyes flicked to the clock to see that it was nearly lunchtime as her foster father always rose late on his days off.

"There you are Luka. I was starting to get worried," said Rose as she strode across the kitchen towards Luka.

"It took longer 'cos Mrs Bumble wanted some pills picking up," Luka replied meekly.

"Oh, that's alright then. Pass me those bags,"

As Luka passed her foster mother her cargo Rose pulled her wand from her apron pocket and the groceries flew to their appropriate places with one exception. This went into Rose's hand along with the receipt.

"A lot of things in the Muggle world are pretty poor but I have to credit them with good tea," commented Rose as she looked over the fine blend. At this comment a snort of derision was heard from the dining room.

"What was that for Jacob?" enquired Rose, her eyebrows arched in annoyance.

"You said that _most_ things in the Muggle world are poor," replied Luka's foster father as he folded his paper and turned to face the witches, "don't you mean that nearly _all_ those cripple have is poor? Everything their so called science and teknilogy attempt to do is a poor imitation of _our_ magic,"

"I agree that Muggles pale in comparison to us but I believe in giving praise where praise is due. Tea this would cost twice as much in our world," retorted Rose as an ugly frown appeared on her usually fair features. This was another thing about her foster parents that Luka didn't like. They held Muggles in such contempt. Like playground bullies they mistook different for inferior although they were adults who should know better. Furthermore, her foster father was a half blood like her. Then again it wasn't just Muggles, Luka had heard Rose mutter about how all werewolves were murderous and not fit to live with the rest of wizardkind. Luka disagreed completely but she didn't want to be accused of being Dark so she kept her mouth shut. Snapping back to the present Luka decided she didn't want to hear the rest of the conversation so she excused herself and trotted up to her room with Elise now gracing her shoulder.


	3. Hogwarts Express

Yay, Luka's finally going to Hogwarts! As usual I don't own anything and I'm not getting money from this. I hope you enjoy the following chapter and if you do please review, even if it's just a solitary sentence. Constructive criticism is welcomed but rants about how crap my storytelling is will be spurned.

It was finally the start of term. As Luka staggered through the platform barrier she looked around herself in amazement. The Hogwarts Express was a beautiful amaranth steam locomotive far superior in aesthetics to its modern Muggle counterparts, even if it did appear to be swaying side to side. Poor Luka had yet to recover her equilibrium after side along apparition.

"Well, there she is Luka. It's five to eleven so you'd best get aboard now," quipped Rose cheerily.

"Ok, bye then," replied Luka as Rose gave her a quick hug and Jacob ruffled her hair. They waved their last goodbyes as Luka climbed aboard with Elise's cage and rucksack in hand after her trunk had been loaded onto the train. As Luka entered the carriage corridor she looked back at her foster parents. They were walking away holding hands, the happiest Luka had ever seen them.

After she had gone to the loo to get changed into her school robes the train started its journey. Luka hastened to find somewhere to sit before she ended up having to sit in the corridor. She found it in the fourth compartment she came across. Opening the door Luka found the compartment occupied by what appeared to be two young siblings. A boy and a girl each with curly black hair and blue eyes. That was where the similarities ended though. The girl had her hair in bunches to her elbows and was quite chubby whilst the boy had his hair cropped to shoulder length and he seemed to be taller and skinnier than the girl.

"Um, excuse me, may I join you?" asked Luka shyly.

"Yeah sure. My name's Lucy and this is Peter," replied the girl with equal reserve.

"Is it okay if I let Elise out? It's just that she's never been used to being cooped up," enquired Luka a she pulled out her 'The Standard Book of Spells, Grade One' and wand from her bag before stowing it in the overhead rack.

"Of course, I already let Creampuff out," chirped Lucy. At Luka's look of confusion she moved the side of her robe to reveal a large fluffy cat curled up by her side, "and Peter's let out Siegfried,"

"Who?"

"My toad. He's sitting in my hood," replied Peter quietly. At this Luka glanced behind him to see two bulging yellow eyes looking back at her and she smiled. Due to Peter's trailing hair it looked like Siegfried was the owner of a long black fringe. Elise then swiftly recalled Luka's attention back to her as she stretched her grey speckled wings and ruffled her feathers as she hopped onto Luka's knee. Seeing as the siblings had gone back to staring out the window Luka opened her spellbook and decided to get some practice in before school. She hadn't used magic before and she had no wish to be behind the rest of her year mates. Wingardium leviosa went well until she got over confident and embedded her quill point first in the ceiling. Unfortunately whilst this was amusing Luka was too short to retrieve the quill. Luckily Peter managed to do it for her but shrugged off her thanks. After that the rest of the journey went quickly and they were soon at Hogsmeade station. As Luka exited the train and began to look around her she heard a booming voice.

"Firs' years this way!"

As she approached the voice she saw that it belonged to a huge man with long, shaggy hair and beard. He repeated his call until all of the first years were assembled around him like the satellites of Jupiter. He then introduced himself as Hagrid, gamekeeper and keeper of the keys of Hogwarts before leading the children to a small fleet of rowing boats docked at the shore of what Luka first thought was the sea.

"Take a good look everyone. That's 'Ogwarts, your new 'ome," proclaimed Hagrid gruffly, "and this ere's the Black Lake. Everyone pick a boat and we'll soon 'ave you across,"

As luck would have it Luka ended up sharing her boat with her two travelling companions. They all looked up in awe as they neared the school. Whilst they couldn't see what it looked like due to dark night they could make out its immense size due to the number of brightly lit windows facing them. When the boats made it to the other shore Hagrid ushered them to the entrance hall where they were met by the sight of a stern looking old witch. Once everyone was stood still and silent before her she spoke.

"When you walk through these doors," she paused to indicate the large double doors behind her, "you will be sorted into one of the four houses of Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw and Slytherin. For the duration of your stay at Hogwarts your house will be like your family. Yours successes will earn you house points whilst any wrong doing will cause you to lose them. Now since we are ready for you follow me,"

Everyone did so and they entered a magnificent hall. The first years looked around themselves to find that that they were flanked by two long tables on either side occupied by hundreds of elder students. The four houses Luka thought to herself as they came to a stop before a stone dais upon which stood a stool and old hat. Behind these items was the teachers' table but before Luka had a chance to get a good look at the staff the hat broke into song. It announced that it was the Sorting hat and proclaimed the characteristics most prized by each house. Once it had finished despite the calls for an encore from two ginger boys the stern witch spoke again.

"When I call out your name come forward and the Sorting hat will be placed upon your head. When you have been sorted you can then go and sit with your house mates," The old lady then called out the names of students and they shyly approached the Sorting hat. After the hat was placed on their heads it would shout the name of the house to which they belonged. At which point the nervous student would scurry off to the appropriate table. All right, it doesn't seem to difficult, all I have to do is sit down and let the hat do the work thought Luka as Colin Creevey was sorted into Gryffindor. Soon after that Lucy and Peter Elleberry were sorted into Slytherin and Hufflepuff Luka heard what she had been dreading.

"Luka Pearson step forward,"

Ah, which will it be? Find out next time!


	4. Getting sorted

I am not JK Rowling or Yana Toboso. I own nothing.

As Luka approached the Sorting hat she tried to ignore the hundreds of eyes watching her but to no avail. As she sat on the stool and the hat was placed on her head she felt herself going paler.

"Now now dear no need to be nervous," said the hat but this just made Luka feel even more nervous, "now where to put you. You've got a good mind and a sizeable amount of talent. Ravenclaw may suit you but then again... such a desire for power and to prove yourself. No, Slytherin would best befit you. **Slytherin!**" shouted the hat to the hall.

Luka then stumbled off to the Slytherin table to sit next to Lucy. She felt sick. How could this happen? Slytherin was the house of Darkness, it had spewed forth more Dark mages than all other houses combined. That's what her foster parents had told her, they would be so disappointed. And what the hell was this desire for power? She just wanted to know how to protect herself and those she loved. This downward spiral continued in Luka's mind until Professor Dumbledore got everyone to sing the school song. Luka found this difficult as everyone was singing to different tunes. A lad from Hufflepuff was singing the Liverpool anthem and she was pretty sure that Jingle bells was coming from somewhere. Amidst the musical melee Luka finished quickly and once the ginger Gryffindor boys had finished their funeral march version Professor Dumbledore spoke again.

"A few start of year notices; first years please be aware that you are not to enter the Forbidden Forest, no wandering around the castle after curfew and Mr Filch would like me to remind everyone that magic is prohibited in the corridors. More specifically, magical practical jokes are banned," at the last point he seemed to stare at the Gryffindor boys who were grinning to each other.

"As that is all, the feast shall now begin," smiled Dumbledore and as he spread his arms food appeared on the tables. At the Slytherin table all the first years unleashed their inner gannet and ate heartily whilst the older students showed more restraint. Lucy seemed happy that she was next to someone she knew and like the rest of the Slytherin females seemed to have Professor Lockhart on the brain. Luka turned around to look at him at the high table. He was easy to pick out, there had been pictures of him everywhere in Flourish and Blotts not to mention the light glinting off his overly bleached teeth was nearly blinding. At present it looked like he was forcing the man next to him into conversation. Said man appeared to be dressed head to toe in black, Luka noted this favourably as she too was a fan of that particular colour combination, with chin length hair of the same colour. Judging by his face it seemed that the beaming Professor Lockhart was making him feel nauseous.

"Who's that man sitting next to Professor Lockhart?" Luka asked Lucy. Lucy looked up from her jacket potato and shrugged, her mouth too full to answer.

"That's Professor Snape, the head of our house. He teaches potions. I'm Pansy Parkinson and you two are?" said an older girl from across the table.

"Luka Pearson,"

"Lucy Elleberry,"

"Are you purebloods or halfbloods?" came the second question.

"I c-come from a p-pureblood family," stuttered Lucy and Pansy turned her gaze to Luka.

"I'm a halfblood," replied Luka. At this Pansy's face crinkled in distaste.

"Oh. You'll find that here in Slytherin most of us are purebloods. Like myself and Draco here," she patted the arm of the blonde boy next to her. After that she didn't speak a word to Luka though she didn't mind, the food more than made up for the lack of conversation. As the feast drew to a close Professor Dumbledore sent them off at the heels of their prefects.

After descending several sets of moving stair cases Luka and Lucy found themselves in the Slytherin common room. Luka loved it at first sight. It was beautiful with turquoise light glinting off the exposed black stone and emerald drapes. All around her were old winged leather chairs and settees perfect for the loner bookworm in Luka. Dark mages or not Slytherins knew about interior design.

"All right, all right! Quieten down everyone, Professor Snape's on his way to make his annual start of year address," shouted the male prefect over the general hubbub. Just as everyone fell silent Professor Snape swept in through the portrait hole and came to a stop in front of them with a dramatic swish of robes.

"Evening. Firstly to those of you have just been sorted, welcome to the ancient and venerable house of Slytherin. As you may or may not be aware we are not the most like house so you will do well to stick the creed of solidarity as above all else you are now all Slytherin. In the same vein refrain partaking in rabble rousing and study hard," this was accompanied by a cold stare directly into the eyes of the new recruits one as he made eye contact with each one, "To those of you in your second year or above keep up your work and maintain the reputation of Slytherin house. That is all," and with that Professor Snape swept off back through the portrait hole.

"Right then first years, the boys' dormitories are up and down the stairs to the left and the girls' are on the right. Off you go," called the female prefect.

After Luka and Lucy had trudged wearily up the stairs they entered their dormitory and had a good look around. There were four poster beds of ebony wood and green fabric next to which were their trunks. The two girls found that their beds were next to one another's as their roommates filed in to join them. As Luka walked to her bedside to get some things out of her rucksack she still felt a little crestfallen about her placement. Lucy looked upon her sad face with sympathy.

"What's wrong Luka? You've looked a bit off since you got sorted," asked Lucy quietly. Luka looked over her shoulder at the others to make sure they were out of earshot before whispering in reply.

"It's just that my foster parents have always said that all Slytherins are Dark mages to varying extents and I don't want them to think I'm a bad person. They're aurors you see, they hate the Dark,"

"Not all Slytherins are bad! My family's been split for generation between Ravenclaw and Slytherin and we've never had a Dark with or wizard in the family," squeaked Lucy in anger that people would think so little of them just because of their house.

"I know. I just don't want them to hate me," said Luka saddened by the look of anger on her new friend's face. She returned to her unpacking and took out her pajamas and a picture frame.

"Is that them?" asked Lucy peering at the moving figures, "You look a lot like your foster father,"

"Everyone says that. It's just the hair really," replied Luka quietly as she too looked at the photograph. Her hair was indeed similar to her foster father's but there were some notable differences. Whilst Luka's hair fell in chestnut waves to her shoulders Jacob's was curlier, lighter and came to the bottom of his shoulder blades. Some people said that their eyes looked similar too but Luka couldn't see it. Her eyes were light green whereas Jacob's were more brown, not quite hazel but murkier than a true green.

"Well, regardless of house prejudices I'm off to sleep," yawned Lucy as she hopped onto her bed and drew the curtains. Luka did likewise before getting dressed for bed. As soon as her head hit the pillow she was asleep.


	5. First day trouble and gossip

First things first, thank you Guest reviewer! You made my day. Now onto the serious stuff; this is the first chapter where elements of the crossover begin to come in and this chapter can be a bit sombre in places but fear not. Where there's a need for comic relief there's always...Severus Snape. As before I own nothing and receive no money from doing this.

Luka woke up groggily to stare at the canopy of her bed. She'd just had the dream again. A blurred face telling her to find them, all she could make out was that the person was pale with raven black hair and his eyes appeared red. Luka had had that dream for as long as she could remember, which wasn't particularly far back, it was always the same and happened at least once a week. For some reason she always felt like she shouldn't tell her foster parents so they didn't know about it. After this brief reflection she remembered the events of the evening before and that she now had to get dressed and eat breakfast at the same table as dozens of Dark mages in the making. Luka groaned and swung her legs out of bed. No time like the present.

After several minutes of confusion and nearly getting lost for the second time Luka made it to the great hall. At the Slytherin table she saw Lucy and Luka decided to try and apologise for appearing so judgemental about their house.

"Is it ok if I sit next to you Lucy?" enquired Luka nervously, "I'm sorry for sounding like I thought your family was Dark just for being in Slytherin,"

"Fine, just don't be so quick to judge next time ok? You needn't take your foster parents word as gospel all the time," replied Lucy.

"I know, it's just they're all I know," said Luka as she sat down and began serving herself some cereal.

"How long have you been with them?"

"Just a year but the accident that killed my parents took my memories too. I can't even remember their faces or what their voices sounded like,"

After this sombre remark the girls ate in silence until Professor Snape came around handing out timetables. Their first lesson was flight with Madam Hooch and the Gryffindors. As the girls read the rest of their schedule owls began to make their way into the hall and a large barn owl headed towards Luka. The owl landed just in front of her cereal bowl and it had a dark brown envelope in its beak. Luka leaned forwards to take the envelope before shakily opening it, she already had a good idea about its contents.

'Dear Luka,

Your foster mother and I are extremely disappointed in you. To think that instead of following us into Ravenclaw you would be sorted into the darkest house of all. Not only are your housemates the spawn of Death Eaters but your head of house is a known Death Eater too. This situation makes Rose and I question where we went wrong in raising you and whether you are beyond redemption. In order to leave Hogwarts untainted you will have to reject much of what your house stands for. It will be hard but worth it in the end. Remember there is nothing more odious than a Dark witch.

All our love,

Fosterdad and mum.'

"Wow, those two are real pieces of work aren't they," commented Lucy who'd been reading over Luka's shoulder.

"Yeah, they always tell me that if I do anything wrong I'm heading for Darkness. But other than that they've been real nice to me. They don't like Muggle things much but they let me keep my things from when I still had my parents," replied Luka dejectedly.

"What sort of things?" asked Lucy, her eyes lighting up. She's heard all sorts of things about muggle artifacts.

"I've kept my skates and skateboard, clothes, some books and my electric guitar. Even though with that I use a magic amplifier rather than a Muggle one. Fosterdad made it specially for me,"

"Cool, will you show me?"

"Ok, um... what did fosterdad mean when he said that Professor Snape was a Death Eater?" enquired Luka.

"He spied against You-Know-Who before the end of the war. Not everyone is convinced about where his loyalties lie but Professor Dumbledore wouldn't have an evil wizard teaching us, he was You-Know-Who's greatest enemy," explained Lucy. Luka nodded, it just didn't make sense to have an evil wizard teaching young children.

On the way to the flying area Lucy seemed to have returned to her bubbly self due to the excitement associated with learning to fly. Then again Luka wasn't immune to it either and she could feel her anticipation grow with each step. Before they knew it they were on the field in front of Madam Hooch. Once everyone had arrived she took the register and began instructing the class.

" Right everyone. Stand on the left hand side of your broom with your hand raised above it and shout 'up'!"

A mixed chorus of 'up's was the immediate response to the command. Luka got her broom on her second try. She could feel gently pressing her palm as if wanting to rise higher and fly free. Next to her Lucy had to try a few more times before her broom obeyed but she got there in the end whilst opposite to them a small, fair haired boy was grinning like a maniac after his success.

"Now everyone has their broom in hand swing one leg other and sit on your broom," Madam Hooch paused as everyone complied, " now to move forward lean forward and will yourselves to be higher before stopping about four feet above the ground. To stop lean back _very_ slightly,"

Luka moved forwards slightly before focusing on willing the broom higher. Shakily she rose until she got to roughly the correct height and stopped. As the others rose around her she noticed that the boy in front of her was still grinning and seemed to be growing a tad overconfident.

"The next test is to turning and changing your height," said Madam Hooch as she conjured some poles from thin air. The first few lay horizontally whilst the others positioned themselves vertically after the horizontal poles, "you will firstly go above the first pole then beneath the second and so on until you reach the vertical poles. Then you will slalom. In order to turn shift your weight, move your broom handle and will yourself to change direction. Go slowly we don't want any accidents. You there girl go first,"

After the first dozen students had a go Luka began to notice that most Slytherins and some Gryffindors seemed to have been on brooms before. Before she could contemplate how she would catch up the grinning boy's turn had come. Indeed he had become too confident. Instead of shifting his weight forwards he threw himself forwards causing him to immediately veer off course and somersault violently through the air broomstick and all. Luka watched intently as the seconds seemed to stretch out, she knew the idiot was going to fall. He did, just after his third somersault he lost his grip and plummeted head first to meet a low stone wall.

"Wingardium leviosa!"

The boy was immediately flicked five feet upwards before coming to a halt. He carefully unwrapped his arms from around his head to look at Luka. Wingardium was the only spell she had known and luckily it had worked but she was already feeling the strain. She shakily lowered her wand and the boy with it until he lay safely on the ground.

"Creevey! What were you thinking being so violent with the broom? You were lucky you weren't injured," shouted Madam Hooch who had been watching the proceedings quite passively until that point, " You there, Pearson was it? Ten points to Slytherin for quick thinking. Creevey, remount and join the rest of the class on the other side of the poles _carefully_,"

After a few more of her classmates had had gone it was Luka's turn to negotiate the course. She did so very slowly but with no collisions. She came to rest beside Lucy as Madam Hooch set up the exercises for the rest of the class. These included more poles and going through hoops. Luckily the rest of the time passed uneventfully but flying was quite tiring. It was with glad hearts that Lucy and Luka finally felt the solid ground beneath their feet and they trooped off towards transfiguration. In this class they were also paired up with the Gryffindors. As the stern witch from the sorting introduced herself as Professor McGonagall and made a class demonstration of turning her desk into a sheep Luka couldn't help but notice the boy from flying class frequently glancing in her direction. She had no time to think on it however as the professor went on to explain the theory of how to turn a matchstick into a pin before demonstrating the incantation. The class then sat about practicing on the matchsticks in front of them. After an hour of increasingly desperate muttering and wand flicking Professor McGonagall ordered them to stop. She then walked around the class both praising students and telling them how they were to improve. When she got to Luka and Lucy she gave a slight twitch of the lips that may have been a smile. Luka's matchstick now boasted a silver sheen but was still plainly a matchstick whilst Lucy's had a finer metal coat and was a bit pointy at one end. Professor McGonagall held it up for the rest of the class to see and awarded Lucy five points. This seemed to irritate the Gryffindors who appeared to have been under the belief that as she was the head of their house she would favour them. She did not, she sent both houses off to lunch with equal amounts of homework.

As they made their way to the great hall the two girls congratulated each other whilst continually stressing their own inadequacy. This exchange continued until Lucy saw her brother. As soon as she saw him she squealed in excitement and ran over to give him a hug. For the next five minutes Luka watched as her friend rapidly reeled off a minute by minute account of her day so far. In response Peter just nodded at the appropriate time and after his sister had finished he gave a much shorter review of his day. Thus far he had had charms and herbology, the teacher of the latter being the head of his house. During the conversation Luka noticed that some older Slytherins and one or two Hufflepuffs shooting dark looks at the siblings. What did they expect? Just because they were in different houses doesn't mean they should suddenly ignore one another's existences. Luka moved forwards to stand next to her friends. If other people wanted to show their displeasure she would show solidarity just like Professor Snape had told her to. Noticing she had moved Lucy turned around to smile and Peter nodded in acknowledgement. After a brief exchange of goodbyes and promises of meeting in the library after school the siblings and Luka spilt and headed towards their respective tables.

"I wish we didn't have to keep to our house tables," said Lucy as the pair sat down.

"I agree, just don't say it so loudly, you're attracting attention," replied Luka when some of their housemates started looking at them. After that lunch was uneventful until Creevey reappeared. He made himself known with an extremely bright camera flash.

"Hi there! My name's Colin Creevey, thanks for saving me today. That spell you did was really cool!" he exclaimed breathlessly.

"You're welcome, why were you so forceful with the broom anyway?" asked Luka as she glanced around nervously. If the capacitor powered flashbulb hadn't caught the attention of her housemates then the whole saving a Gryffindor scenario had.

"I'm muggleborn so all magic is just so new and _cool_. I think I just got overexcited by the thought of _actually_ flying," he replied smiling, completely oblivious to the dozens of scowling Slytherins. Lucy and Luka nodded understandingly, they had felt the same but had managed to control themselves.

"Now you're finished do you mind sodding off you filthy little brat?" sneered a large, troll like girl from further down the table.

"Hey! Don't talk to him like that!" retorted Luka angrily.

"What? Why do you care?"

"She's a _halfblood_ Millicent," Pansy chipped in. Millicent looked like she was about to vomit.

"Eugh, now it makes sense. Why don't you take your impure blood and your _Mudblood_ friend and jump off the astronomy tower. The wizarding world doesn't need people like you!"

"SHUT UP!" Everybody stared at Lucy in shock. Her pale face had turned red and her bunches bounced with anger, "just because you're a 'pureblood' doesn't mean you get to look down on everyone else. Muggles and muggleborns are worth just as much as you are!"

"Damn straight, why do you lot have such a superiority complex?" asked Luka, Colin nodding vigorously in agreement behind her.

"Keep your gob shut _halfblood_ or I'll shut it for you!"

"Get stuffed! It's because of people like you that my foster parents are ashamed that I ended up in this house!"

"What _exactly_ is going on here?" enquired a deep voice from behind them. It seemed that the students' slanging match had reached the attention of the teachers as when they turned around they were faced with the imposing visage of Professor Snape.

"My office now. All of you, you too Miss Parkinson"

As the quintet followed Professor Snape down the last flight of stairs they were met with the stern face of Professor McGonagall who seemed to be waiting by a dark wooden door.

"I heard that were taking a student of mine to your office Severus and came to see what was going on," she said in response to Professor Snape's enquiring look.

"Your student along with four of mine was causing a ruckus in the great hall," replied Professor Snape obviously resenting the interruption as he opened the door of his office. As Luka passed through the threshold she instantly forgot why she was there. Her eyes were immediately drawn to the scores of pickled specimens lining the walls and the potions equipment on the central bench. The glass tubing and flasks looked so much like...Like what? She's never seen anything like them before but they felt so familiar. It was like if she thought hard enough she could remember the names of the apparatus. Quickly though confusion went back to curiosity as her eyes resumed their scan of the walls.

"Gnarly," she breathed in admiration of the decor.

"What was that Miss Pearson?" asked Professor Snape as he sent her a quick glare. Luka blushed slightly before answering.

"I was just complementing your office sir. I thought it looked cool because of all the jars on the walls. It's like a natural history museum," she mumbled, everybody's eyes were on her and it was so embarrassing to be picked out. At the same time Professor Snape felt his jaw grow slack with shock. She _had not_ just said those words! Those jars were meant to disgust and intimidate, as well as fill his cauldron, not to make his office interesting to overcurious students. He tried to pass off the comment as an attempt to curry favour but he'd noticed the smile on her face and curiosity in her eyes when she'd first came in. No! He wouldn't think of it! His office was not 'cool' it was a scary and dark place where students feared to tread. Yes, that was a much nicer, normal thought.

During Severus' mental turmoil Professor McGonagall had to turn around to suppress a smile and chortle that she could feel threatening to make themselves known. She'd never see Severus looked so shocked, granted the signs were subtle but she'd seen them. This was staffroom gossip gold.

"Regardless of what you think of my office Miss Pearson I want to know why you all thought you could shout during meal times," said Professor Snape as he regained equilibrium and some sense of control over the situation, "Miss Parkinson, since you seem to be a bystander in this would you care to explain what happened,"

"Well Professor, it started when the Gryffindor," "Mr Creevey," McGonagall interjected, "When he came up behind the two first years with his camera and they all began to talk really loudly. That's why Millicent told them to be quiet but they just started shouting instead," replied Pansy as Millicent smiled smugly beside her. Upon hearing her blatant lies the three first years' jaws dropped but Professor Snape seemed satisfied with that explanation.

"Is there anything any of you would like to add?" he asked. Colin raised one hand from his camera.

"Please sir, what's a Mudblood? I think I know what it means but I'm not sure," asked Colin in all innocence.

"Where did you hear that foul word Mr Creevey?" asked Professor McGonagall her voice showing a touch of anger.

"That girl called me it," he indicated to Bullstrode, "that's why the argument started. These two were just defending me but then she had a go at them too and then you turned up sir,"

As his words sunk in the two elder Slytherins knew their game was up. Professor McGonagall had drawn herself up to her full height and seemed on the verge of shouting. Even Professor Snape, the head of the house of Darkness, had his jaw set and his eyes blazed with anger. His next words were cutting as razors.

"So, let me get this straight. Mr Creevey began talking to your housemates and you called him a Mudblood which led to an argument in his defence. What else did they say girls?"

"When Parkinson told her about me being a halfblood she started to sneer even more and told me 'to shut my gob' or she would shut it for me," replied Luka.

"She also said for Luka and Collin to jump off the astronomy tower as they had impure blood and the wizarding world didn't need the likes of them," added Lucy her fear of punishment diminishing as she realised that the professors' anger wasn't to be directed at her.

"You actually told your housemate and her friend to kill themselves?" asked Professor McGonagall aghast. These girls were utterly repulsive.

"They w-were being disruptive..," started Pansy before cowering under the teacher's combined glare.

"Silence! You are a disgrace to our house! Bullstrode, thirty points will be taken for your foul language and behaviour. Parkinson the same will be deducted for you as you colluded with your friend. The pair of you will also be serving detention for a fortnight. Now get out of my sight!"

The two girls looked on in shock at their usually lenient head of house before a particularly sharp glare sent them scuttling out of the office. The two teachers then focused their attention on the remaining trio who had now drawn themselves closer together.

"For your information Mr Creevey 'Mudblood' is an offensive and outdated term for someone without magical parents. It is not a word we condone here in Hogwarts," said Professor McGonagall softly, "as for you two I believe a reward is in order. What do you think Severus?"

"Five points shall be awarded to each of you for standing up to your peers," replied Professor Snape as his eyes focused on one individual in particular, " and you Miss Pearson, exactly what did you mean when you said your foster parents were ashamed of you for being a Slytherin?"

"Umm it's just that they said that Slytherins weren't very nice and..." mumbled Luka not wanting to offend Professor Snape with her foster parents' views.

"Show him the letter," whispered Lucy.

"What letter?" Professor Snape hated it when students became secretive. It never boded well.

"This one sir," said Luka as she pulled the envelope from her robe pocket and handed it to the professor. Said professor swiftly pulled the letter free of its trappings and unfolded it. As he read it his eyes narrowed when he got to the part concerning himself.

"Hmph, this letter is nothing but groundless prejudice. Take no heed of it. Now run along before you become late for class," said Professor Snape and sent them on their way.

"What does it say Severus?" asked Professor McGonagall once the pupils had left.

"Nothing much, just the usual misconceptions that the other houses have about Slytherin Minerva," replied Severus as he handed over the letter. As Minerva read it she shook her head.

"Fancy sending this to a child. How can they say she's beyond redemption purely based on how she is sorted?" she was astonished that a legal guardian would send their ward such a letter. Not to mention the slander of her colleague.

"You will find that opinions like those are quite common, especially amongst students of your house," said Severus. He'd heard worse than that of course during his own school years so a letter like that was like water off a duck's back though he made a mental note of what he would say to the girl's foster parents should he ever meet them.

"Still calling you a Death Eater even after Albus cleared you. Pearson. Where have I heard that name before? Ah, they were both in Ravenclaw about a decade ago weren't they," said Minerva deep in thought.

"Yes I remember them from when I started teaching. They weren't related but they both had the same surname and the same Jovian quantity of self righteousness," came the reply from behind Severus' desk as he sat down to start marking. He had a free period coming up and he didn't want to waste it.

"Well then, I'll be off. See you at dinner," Minerva stated as she put down the letter on the Slytherin's desk. The only response she received was a grunt and a hand shooing her out of his office. As she exited she smiled slightly, Severus may try and act indifferent but he did care about the students. He wouldn't have been so outraged by the older girls' behaviour otherwise.

After leaving Professor Snape's office the trio parted company as the girls had herbology whilst Colin had charms. That lesson and the one after it, history of magic, went smoothly. Although at one point they did have to bat off the tendrils of an overly friendly plant and Professor Binns nearly put them to sleep. The latter though was outweighed by Lucy's happiness at being with her brother as the Slytherins were with Hufflepuff for that particular lesson. Upon leaving that soporific lesson they headed to the library as they had agreed. First day or not the teachers had handed out homework. As Luka returned with a large book on magical wars she found that Colin had taken it upon himself to join them. He seemed to have calmed down a bit since getting them into trouble with their housemates. As the four of them settled down to study in companionable silence Luka noticed a looming presence. The librarian appeared to be doing her rounds to make sure there were no troublemakers in her library and after staring at Luka coldly she continued onwards. Luka checked her Muggle watch and saw that there was plenty of time for reading. She had no memory for dates so she would probably have to make copious notes outside of class if she was to do well. Professor Binns was so monotone in speech that it was impossible to pick out the key points. Every now and again one of the companions would point out something interesting that they'd read but for the most part they were silent except for the turning of pages and the scratching of quills. In this manner time passed quickly and before long they were once again in the great hall heading towards their own tables. As Luka and Lucy sat down they noticed an atmosphere beginning to develop around the Slytherin table. Quite a few shot them glares or looked at them with disgust etched upon their features, the majority however looked bemused, neutral or as if they wanted to stay out of it. The two first years paid it no heed and lapsed into a speculation over which charms they would learn during the year. The lads had told them they would learn wingardium leviosa first but beyond that they were as ignorant as the girls.

At around seven the girls made their way back to their dormitories. Lucy was beginning to become impatient about getting to see Luka's Muggle objects. Luckily the dormitory was deserted so they could discuss non-magical things at their leisure.

"This is an electric guitar," said Luka as she held the instrument out to Lucy, "it's supposed to use an amp that powered by electricity but I use this magic one that my fosterdad made for me," this time she held up a small black oval of about the same dimension of a personal CD player.

"What about Muggle artefact legislation? Wizards aren't suppose to modify Muggle objects with magic," asked Lucy as she ran her hands over the fret board and sunburst body.

"It doesn't apply. The guitar isn't modified in any way and the amp is entirely magical in design,"

"What's an amp?"

"It's short for amplifier. An electric guitar needs one so that it can be heard, it's audible without the amp but pretty weak especially if you want to use techniques such as hammer ons. Here let me show you," explained Luka as she took the instrument back and picked up a plectrum. Their conversation carried on late into the night as Luka showed off a variety of objects from her watch and skateboard to the small stack of Muggle newspaper clippings that she'd kept because she thought they were interesting. It was nice to be able to talk to someone who didn't deride Muggles at every opportunity.

Just after dinner Professor Snape headed to the staffroom. Usually he would hole himself up in his office for the first night basking in solitude as usually the first night of term was the least eventful. After that it was just an exponential curve of hassle, whining brats and writing to parents. Tonight however one _very_ small part of him felt the need to be more sociable and the rest of the staff knew his habits. They just let him sit by the fire with his back to them and his head in a book, paper or some other periodical. As he neared the sentry gargoyles he could hear chatter through the door. A scowl set itself upon his features as he realised that they were talking about him.

"So his jaw actually dropped when she said it?" enquired Madam Pomfrey.

"Not dropped exactly, just moved an inch south. But for him it's the equivalent of his jaw being on the floor," chuckled Minerva. Damn those old biddies thought Snape. They were gossiping about him behind his back.

"She actually said she liked his office?" squeaked Flitwick. Alas, he too had descended into the gutter of conjecture.

"No, but she said it looked cool. At that point I think it dawned on him what he was dealing with," replied Minerva and the whole faculty dissolved into shameless giggles.

"I would have given a month's wages to have seen his face then," chortled Rolanda Hooch. Snape sighed it sounded like she's been on the booze again.

"Yes it was a sight. Utter shock mixed with horror,"

"Poor lad, he's never been faced by someone like that before," it was Pomona Sprout this time. Snape face palmed in the corridor, he didn't know whether to go and face them with dignity or to turn around and head back to his inner sanctum.

"This girl sounds like a right monster if she can frighten the bat of the dungeons," laughed Flitwick. That's it thought Snape time to nip this in the bud or at least temporarily shut them up. With that thought he opened the door and strode in. Immediately the gossips fell silent as if the conversation had never happened. They were all sitting around a single table playing cards. Snape moved towards his favourite chair, the best weapon against one's enemy was knowing something that they didn't know he knew.

"Oh Severus, we were just talking about one of your students," called Rolanda. On the other hand they may forsake all attempts at subtlety and laugh in my face thought Snape.

"Luka Pearson cast the beginner's levitation charm on Colin Creevey when he fell off his broom. If she hadn't he would have been off to the hospital wing with a cracked skull," recounted Rolanda.

"Really? I haven't seen the Slytherins yet so she must be quite the talent to do the spell so readily," replied Flitwick excitedly. Oh the fools thought Snape. Couldn't they see the glaring hole in there makeshift lie? If they were discussing the girl why was Filius acting so surprised? No wonder Dumbledore didn't use any of them as spies.

"Talking of talent or lack thereof did anyone else hear about Gilderoy's lesson with the first years? That man can't even control pixies," and with that comment from Minerva the group descended back into idle gossip. Sensing that this farce of a conversation was about to get worse Snape sat down and began reading. He caught snatches of comments from Pomona about how Gilderoy had tried to lecture her on how to tend to the Whomping Willow. This was followed by other remarks about how he'd attempted to meddle with the other members of staff. After a while though Snape heard something that brought his hackles back up to attention. It was Minerva, and she was on the move.

"I'll just pop up to talk to Albus about something. I think I'll need the use of his pensieve," she said. This was met by understanding words and a myriad of chuckles. Snape's eyes narrowed. They'd pushed him too far this time. Let's see how much they laugh after the staff Christmas party he thought. He wasn't potions master and head of Slytherin for nothing. Yes, let them think he was in the dark but in reality it was they had who had stumbled into one of his 'long games'. Staring triumphantly into the fire he allowed a near silent laugh to escape his lips.

Thanks for reading and please review.


	6. Second day

_Thanks again for the reviews. I take it the staff were too out of character, I'll try and bear it in mind as I continue. Ok so we've reached the 10,000 word milestone and at this point I'd like to state the Kuroshitsuji wise this takes place after the end of seaon two. As usual I own nothing._

The next morning Luka woke with sore fingers from playing too much the night before. As the two girls made their way down to the breakfast table they couldn't help but notice the glares sent in their direction and that some of the elder Slytherins were purposely knocking into them as they walked past. They tried to ignore it in the hope that it would eventually die down.

First lesson of the day was defence against the dark arts. They had already heard the rumours about the pixie incident so Luka was slightly nervous, she didn't want an incompetent teacher in the subject she was so desperate to do well in. Lucy on the other hand had taken the view that the rumours were false and continued to sing Lockhart's praises. When they got into the classroom they found out that the first test was to balance all of the professor's handsomely bound books on their desks whilst still have to room to write. As they finished they glanced around to see that their classmates included the Hufflepuffs and Peter came striding forwards to sit next to them. This time when Luka greeted him he smiled as well as nodding. Looks like he's finally coming out of his shell thought Luka. Unfortunately it was at that point that their illustrious teacher decided to make an entrance. With swishing robes and flashing teeth he came towards them. For someone who had taken on so many evils he'd managed to keep his looks, even if it was a bit overdone.

"Good morning children," he smiled so much Luka was convinced she could see his molars "today we will start off our year together with a little test to see how much you've been paying attention to your textbooks. Never forget that a keen eye could save your life,"

As he walked around the class handing out quiz papers he made sure to give each and every pupil a special smile, especially the girls. Luka found this slightly creepy when he got to her so she swiftly started the quiz. She'd only read 'Wanderings with Werewolves' so she didn't know all the answers. Luka frowned when she got to a question considering that tome. The question was more concerned with his sense of style than how he had dealt with werewolves and even that had been questionable in Luka's opinion. Why had he been so brutal to the poor thing? True the werewolf had been reckless but the boys at the Oswestry skate park had said that it was possible to tranquilise animals as large as elephants. Why hadn't Professor Lockhart used that technique? She shook her head as she finished the test as quickly as possible and handed it in. Professor Lockhart gave her yet another dazzling smile and told her to resume reading the set texts until everyone else had finished. After all the tests had been finished Professor Lockhart launched into a monologue on his numerous feats and what skills the students would need if they were to come anywhere close in replicating them. The class rushed to leave as soon as the bell rang.

"He's amazing isn't he?" asked Lucy with a dazed expression on her face. Luka and Peter looked at each other in surprise, was she hypnotised? They'd learned nothing apart from their teacher's favourite colour and ideal birthday present. No spells and no information on Dark magic and creatures. Luka hoped that subsequent lessons would be more fruitful.

The next lesson was charms with the Ravenclaws. Professor Flitwick made Luka stand at the front of class and demonstrate wingardium leviosa on various objects. When she finally got to sit down she could feel a headache beginning to form. She rubbed her temples as she listened to the Professor explain the lesson's activities.

"Are you okay?" asked Lucy worriedly.

"I'm fine it's just that I get headaches quite often and sometimes blackouts,"

"Blackouts?"

"Yeah, sometimes I wake up and I can't remember the hours before I went to sleep. I lost an entire day once. My foster parents say it's an after effect of the accident," replied Luka trying to sound nonchalant so Lucy wouldn't worry too much but in truth she too was worried. Lucy frowned but let it drop, she had that charm to practice after all. It took a while and some help from Luka but Lucy managed it just after a boy from Ravenclaw succeeded in raising his feather to the ceiling. At the end of class when the girls were about to leave for lunch Professor Flitwick called Luka back to his desk.

"I'll wait outside for you," said Lucy from the door.

"It's fine, head to lunch without me," Luka called back.

Professor Flitwick had a quick chat with Luka, it was obvious that he was happy to teach someone who showed both interest and aptitude in is subject. He asked whether she had been taught charms before coming to Hogwarts and gave her tips on how to control objects without the use of dramatic wand movements.

"To control more than one object you'll need a different charm but we won't go into that now though I dare say you could master the charm easily. May I ask what wood your wand is made of? I would imagine it is willow seeing how easily you handle it for this subject," asked the Professor as he peered at the object.

"I don't know sir, my fostermum got it for me when I was looking around Flourish and Blotts," replied Luka eager to be released for lunch.

"Oh, may I have a look at it?"

Luka handed him the wand without question. Professor Flitwick looked at it carefully. It certainly looked like a wand but it felt...off. It just didn't give the sensation of a magical object and something stopped him from giving it an experimental swish. As he handed it back to the student and sent her on her way he wondered how a wand so exactly suited to its wielder could be picked by another.

After lunch and the afternoon's lessons were over the small group were once again to be found in the library. As they all sat down Colin regaled them with the tale of how he plucked up the courage to ask the famous Harry Potter for a photograph and got one of Professor Lockhart in the bargain. At the mention of that man's name Luka and Peter rolled their eyes, something to which both Lucy and Colin remained oblivious to. Luka turned back to her book on star charts, tonight was her first lesson on astronomy. She already knew a little bit about stars since one of the lads whom she skated with was doing GCSE additional science and he'd told her that they were huge balls of flaming gas. Whilst this information was useful with regards to why the sun shone it told her nothing about the positions of stars. As she read the hours seemed to fly by and it was soon time for dinner.

The walk to the astronomy tower was a long one especially since they were bundled up in heavy cloaks and scarves and carrying their telescopes. Lucy was happily chirping by Luka's side as it was another class in which they were paired with the Hufflepuffs and the trio seemed to among the first to step inside the classroom. Inside were models of the solar system which levitated and rotated by magic and their Professor looked down at them from the star gazing platform. As soon as everyone had arrived she began to explain the theory and purpose of their lessons and set out what they were to look for in the hour ahead. The time soon came to step out into the cold air and actually get some work done and the first years shuffled out onto the platform in a large huddle. It took at little while for Luka to get set up and have her telescope pointing in the right direction. In the end Peter had to come over and help with the focusing as Luka plainly had no idea about what she was doing. She thanked him and he commented simply that he liked to play with his mother's telescope when he was at home. Slowly Luka got into the swing of things and towards end of the lesson she could focus the telescope without pushing it too far and causing it to nearly fall off the tripod. However she couldn't shake the feeling of being watched and the right hand side of her neck kept itching slightly. She put it down to Elise being out there somewhere and Luka felt a pang of guilt since she hadn't gone up to see how she was settling in. She made a mental note of going to the owlery the next morning.

Half a mile away in one of the highest treetops of the forbidden forest a lone pair of ruby eyes watched Luka. The man to whom they belonged frowned and sighed in frustration. Just how long was his mistress going to sleep? It had already been a year since that day and she still showed no sign of returning to her former self.

"You know it is most strange, and slightly perverted, to watch a child so intently," said a young voice as he was joined by another.

"She is no child my Lord you know that. However she is contracted to me and I will not let others take what is rightfully mine. Therefore I will not let her go, just as I did not let you go,"

"You have no need to call me that anymore, so many years have passed. Why didn't you eat her when you had the chance? You would have saved yourself a lot of hassle,"

"Like you Ciel she had as much value for entertainment as for food,"

"You say so but what use is a toy you can't even play with? You're prohibited from contacting her and since she doesn't remember anything she won't return to you,"

With that parting shot the smaller male disappeared back into the night leaving the elder demon to continue is vigil. He would have to leave soon but he felt slightly better knowing that Elise was watching over the girl.


	7. Week's end

_Thanks for the reviews, in reply (I won't name names as I'm not sure if it's allowed), to Reviewer A. Sebastian is under very strict instructions, these will come to light after the duelling club, sorry for the wait. To Reviewer B, thanks for letting me know that there are sebas-fans reading this 'cos if i didn't know Sebastian wouldn't really come into this until the very end, also yes the parents will be punished. Now, on with the story! (I own nothing)_

Elise was indeed an angry owl. It took quite a lot of beseeching before the bird deigned to descend to Luka for titbits of bacon and even after that Elise glared down her beak at her human. A few rashers of bacon and a lot of stroking later Luka had succeeded in taking the edge off her anger. After Elise had calmed down Luka gave her the brief synopsis of school life so far and promises of returning later that day. As Luka turned to leave she was noticed that she wasn't alone.

"Well if it isn't the blood traitor. I've heard a lot about you Pearson," spat a blonde boy flanked by what appeared to be two of his cronies.

"Who are you?" Luka remembered his face from the first day feast but his name eluded her. She knew that Parkinson had mentioned it but still...

"Malfoy, Draco Malfoy. These are my associates Crabbe and Goyle," he gestured to the boys behind him who nodded and cracked their knuckles threateningly, "we've been hearing bad things about you Pearson. You don't seem to understand what it means to be a Slytherin. After all saving Mudblood, what were you thinking?"

"His name is Colin Creevey. He may be a bit hyper but who his parents are doesn't matter!" Luka was getting really sick of blood pureists. They were like broken records and what they were saying had no scientific backing.

"Really? I suppose I shouldn't be surprised by that attitude. After all you're only a _halfblood_,"

At this Luka rolled her eyes.

"Are you going to say anything else 'cos I've got class," Luka retorted and made to move pass them. Goyle pushed her backwards and she landed on her bottom amongst the owl droppings.

"SKREEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!"

Elise had launched herself off her perch and onto Goyle. He put his arm up to protect himself so Elise simply turned her attention from his eyes to his arm. He yelped and hollered as sharp claws impaled his burly arm. Malfoy shook his head disdainfully and took out his wand.

"Expeliarmus!" shouted Luka who was still on the floor and Malfoy's wand somersaulted out of his hand. She frowned, the charm was supposed to be more powerful but then she hadn't practiced it much since she found it in her extracurricular book.

"Why you..." Malfoy sneered as he started forwards. At this point Elise detached herself from Goyle's now mangled limb and landed between Luka and Malfoy. Long eared owls may not be much bigger than barn owls but Elise was now puffed up with feathers erect with wings spread and hissing menacingly. Malfoy stopped in his tracks, did that bird's eyes just flash red? Whatever, he was almost late for transfiguration.

"Just you wait until my father hears bout this _halfblood_," he sneered as he turned to pick up his wand and left with his cronies at his heels.

"Thanks Elise," said Luka as she leaned forwards to stroke her owl who ruffled her feathers so they would lie flat once more. Luka then checked her watch and to her dismay she was almost late. After hastily bidding Elise goodbye she dashed off to class. She got almost halfway there. She skidded to a halt as she nearly trampled a grey cat.

"Hey there puss," she said as she crouched down to stroke to stroke the animal.

"Get your hands off my cat!"

Luka stood up quickly to see Argus Filch staring malevolently at her from across the corridor with a mop in hand.

"Go on! Beat it!" he snarled and Luka turned and left, this time walking so as not to slip on the freshly cleaned floor. She arrived five minutes late. Luckily though it was defence against dark arts again so Professor Lockhart just smiled understandingly when she said she'd tripped in the owlery.

After the incident with Malfoy life in the common room became more difficult for Luka and Lucy so they began to spend more time either in the library or in their dormitory. There their roommates pointedly ignored them. They made the best of it doing their homework the day it was set and reading ahead with Colin and Peter. It also soon became apparent that the two girls weren't the only outcasts of Slytherin. On Thursday they were joined by Maxwell Gregory and Shirley Samwell, two halfblood second years who were being treated as dogsbodies by their more privileged elders. There was safety in numbers they rationalised when Luka asked why they wanted to join three blood traitors and a muggleborn. It also became clear that Slytherins weren't the only ones who would turn on their own. Colin and Peter were also experiencing problems with their housemates. In Gryffindor Colin was being perpetually teased about his tendency to photograph everything and his year mates questioned why he shunned their company in preference of that of two snakes. This behaviour didn't seem to faze Colin though as it was well known that he still harassed the Boy Who Lived something which even Lucy had to admit must get slightly annoying. In Hufflepuff too those who were supposed to be the most fair-minded sent Peter to Coventry for continued contact with his sister. So much for the house unity preached by their professors. As the day drew to a close in the library Luka busied herself with reading "Magical Drafts and Potions". After seeing Professor Snape's office his subject had become more interesting to Luka, she was sure she could do well in it if she applied herself. She'd already tried a basic healing potion from "Basic First aid Potions and Spells", it had been a bit off colour but had healed Lucy fine after she tripped on the moving staircases and cut her knee.

Finally the time came for Luka to try her hand at the subject under adult supervision. It was Friday afternoon and they had double potions with the Ravenclaws. As they filed in Luka craned her neck, the dungeon was divided by rows of benches with Bunsen burners and fittings for the students to place their cauldrons. There was also a short row of sinks and a supply cupboard. In front of them was the teacher's desk and blackboard but their professor had yet to show up. Luka and Lucy sat on the left hand side of the second row from the front. To their right two Ravenclaws sat down, one being a blonde girl who was talking to the other about 'fluffleskeens'. Apparently these were a type of possessed dust ball that inhabited one's loft. Just as they were all getting settled Professor Snape entered the classroom and swept to the front of it.

"There will no be no ridiculous wand waving or silly incantations in this class," he said briskly as he scanned the class, inwardly groaning when he saw 'that girl' but continued his speech none the less, "as such I don't expect many of you to grasp the subtle science of potion making. However if in the unlikely event that you do possess an aptitude in this art I can teach you how to brew fame, bottle glory and even put a stopper inn death,"

Luka sat leaning forward raring to go. She desperately wanted to show that she had an aptitude for potions and the subject sounded really quite interesting. Everyone had told her that Professor Snape was a nasty piece of work but so far it didn't seem the case. After his opening statement Professor Snape explained how they were to make their first basic potion and it was time for the pupils to fire up their cauldrons. They would be working in pairs with one cauldron between them.

"Right, do you want to start shredding the roots or get the cauldron up to the correct temperature?" Luka asked Lucy, her eyes gleaming with enthusiasm.

"Um, I'll get the cauldron up to heat, I'm not that good with knives,"

Luka nodded and began preparing the ingredients, it was just like when she'd helped Rose back at home only the ingredients weren't as sweet smelling. With the pair each doing what they were suited at the potion was swiftly under way. Ingredients were added on time, instructions were well heeded and they made sure to clean up as they went. As Professor Snape swept up and down the rows of cauldrons deriding the Ravenclaws and praising those of his own house a partciluaryly clean desk caught his eye. Up till that point he's been avoiding that particular first year but now it seemed that she along with her friend were slacking off. That would never do. Silently he stalked up behind them. Luka turned around and gave him a small smile.

"We're almost finished sir, does it look alright?"

Professor Snape gave a stiff nod in reply and the girls turned back to their work. His eyes flicked to the potion and he noted the time. The brew was near perfect, far better than expected for a first try and they had twenty minutes until the end of class. The potion would only take the next five to complete, unless of course it went horribly wrong which was quite common in his classroom. Usually the dunderheads never obeyed the instructions with the exception of one know it all Gryffindor but even she hadn't done as well in her first lesson.

"After you two are finished clean up, hand your vials in and help your classmates. In this class no one leaves early," he told the girls who immediately turned around again and nodded, he glared.

"Um, yes sir,"

After they had answered him properly he resumed his lap of the dungeon. There was always someone who made a stupid mistake if his back was turned momentarily.

The girls swiftly finished and bottled there creation. They handed them to Professor Snape who accepted them wordlessly.

"Luka, what do we do to help?"

"I'm not sure either, I think we just point out if their potion's the wrong colour or if it looks like it's about to blow," came the equally unsure reply.

"How do we know if it's about to blow? I think I'll just help people with their cleaning,"

With that two parted Lucy immediately going to their Ravenclaw neighbours whilst Luka turned around to see if anyone had an obvious need for help. She walked up to two Slytherin boys whose potions was dark purple instead of sky blue. Their beetle eyes weren't crushed enough so the consistency was off as well. Luckily this easily remedied as the rest of the of the beetle eyes were crushed correctly as per Luka's instructions. When she left them she noticed that the lads weren't as frosty with her as they had been when she'd drifted over. The same couldn't be said for the Ravenclaws. Whilst most accepted her help the rest glared at her until she left. As Professor Snape attended to other students he watched the two girls out the corner of is eye. The one with bunches just cleaned and chatted a bit with a blonde Ravenclaw whilst the other one wasn't doing a too bad a job of helping the others. Even if she did try to transcend house borders and talk to Ravenclaws. Perhaps his teaching wasn't in vain if one of them picked up some knowledge of his beloved craft. As this thought crossed his mind he heard sizzling and squeals from behind him. A luckless student had added the wrong ingredient at the wrong time and the cauldron was now spitting a putrid yellow substance that attacked the student's stirring arm like acid. Professor Snape pinched the bridge of his nose. What had he been thinking? Of course his effort to teach these hopeless brats was in vain.

After dinner instead of heading to the library with her friends Luka was outside in the grounds with Elise looking for somewhere to skate. So far it wasn't going well. The courtyard was nicely paved but far too busy, she'd just be a nuisance or worse a hazard. Slightly disappointed Luka trudged downhill taking her closer to the Forbidden Forest. Movement caught her eye and she edged closer. Just inside the forest there was a group what looked to be emaciated horses with wings. They looked odd but friendly so Luka moved in slowly not wishing to frighten them.

"They're thestrals," came a loud voice.

Luka jumped at the sudden sound causing Elise to embed her talons into her shoulder in order to keep a grip. The girl turned around to see the man from the boat trip.

"You're Mr Hagrid aren't you, I remember you from when I got here,"

"Yeh can call me Hagrid," he genially replied smiling at her politeness.

"Are they safe to go up to?" enquired Luka indicating to the thestrals.

"Of course, juts go slow like so as not to frighten 'em,"

Luka approached the first one slowly and it remained where it was. She reached out her hand and gently patted the animal on the withers. The skin was smooth, nearly hairless, and warm.

"What do they eat?" she asked as she stroked the animal up and down the neck.

"Raw meat usually, here," replied Hagrid as he handed her a chunk of red meat. Luka took it unflinchingly, "now keep your palms flat. Yeh don't want to lose any fingers during your first week,"

Luka obeyed the instructions and smiled as the thestral licked her hands clean. As she lifted her hand to pet the beast again she felt Elise shifting her weight on her shoulder. She turned her head and stroked Elise with her raised hand.

"Don't worry Elise you're still my favourite," she said as she tickled the jealous owl under the beak.

" Them thestrals seemed to have taken a likin' to yeh usually they don't let people stroke 'em straight away. What's yer name?"

"Luka, I'm in Slytherin," Luka replied happily still stroking Elise. She sighed and dropped her head when she saw the disappointed on Hagrid's face. This was becoming really irksome, no wonder Professor Snape favoured his own house it was the only way to level the playing field.

"Hagrid, despite all the prejudice not all Slytherins are nasty. Sure there are some nasty pieces of work in the house but the others aren't squeaky clean. My friend Lucy has a brother in Hufflepuff and his housemates won't talk to him because he still talks to his sister,"

"His sister's in Slytherin too?"

"Yeah, they use that as an excuse not to speak to him. The Gryffindors are the same too. Colin, a Muggleborn, has the mick taken out of him because he sits with us in the library,"

"Oh. Well sorry 'bout that yeh don't usually see many nice people," replied Hagrid trying to make amends before looking up to the sky, "Yeh best be getting back to the castle now, it's gettin' dark,"

"Ok, um do you know any places in the grounds that are fairly flat and paved?" asked Luka, if Hagrid knew of a place to skate it would save her searching for it.

"Yeh could try the road over there," he said indicating the direction. Luka then thanked him and made her way back to the castle. She would have a look at the road the next day.

_Yes Elise is a demon owl, in Britain long eared owls used to be called cat owls amongst other slang names, she's the first of the wierd pets you'll meet in this story. I'll give you a clue about another one; I like Futurama._


	8. Nightmares and detention

_I own nothing, merry Christmas._

The next morning Luka breakfasted hastily in anticipation of finally getting to skate again.

"Luka, Luka! Have you done your defence against the dark arts homework yet? We're supposed to read 'Voyages with Vampires' aren't we?" Damn. Until Lucy had reminded her she'd forgotten all about it. Truth be told she'd started to tune out whenever Professor Lockhart talked. All he wittered on about was his books, they hadn't learned anything yet, thankfully though the library was well stocked with books on his subject.

"Actually, I kind of forgot about it," said Luka as she turned to her friend who'd just jogged up to her.

"How could you forget about it? He mentioned it straight after he said I really knew a lot about yetis. You know if you keep zoning out you won't do well, I've seen you doodling," whined Lucy.

"Alright I'll do it now, meet me in the library ok?"

Reading that book only took a few hours. Luka managed to cut down the workload by skim reading all parts that included self flattery and hyperbole, which ended up to be about three quarters of the book. Throughout that time Lucy would become nearly poetic when describing their lamentable teacher. Colin joined in as he too was under the impression that Lockhart was a famous hero. Whenever the pair started up Luka and Peter looked at each other as they were both of the same mind on the matter. The older Slytherins didn't add anything as they weren't in the library but they had let it slip that the previous professor had done a far better job of teaching despite the fact he was possessed by You Know Who.

Finally it was past lunchtime and Luka headed back out into the grounds to practice. With Elise on her shoulder she reached the road, it was gravel but it was so tightly packed that it had the feel of rough tarmac. Luka got out her small reserve of basic healing potion and a pack of plasters. It would hurt if she got served on this surface. Which is exactly what happened. Half an hour into practice and she managed to hone in on a stone large enough to send off her board and head fist into the embrace of a nearby rock.

It was dinner in the great hall. Hagrid had kept trying to talk to him for some reason but Professor Snape had managed to shrug him off thus far. He was busy scanning his house table. Lucius had informed that there was a blood traitor in the ranks, one who had seen fit to raise a wand to his precious son. The silly girl needed to be warned before she got into too much trouble. However the fact that she wasn't at dinner was posing a problem. That and it was clear her pigtailed friend had no idea where she was. The black haired girl kept looking and craning her neck. As dinner drew to a close he swept to the first year. He was proved correct, Luka Pearson had gone missing. She hadn't been to her dormitory, the library or hospital wing since she had parted company from her friends hours ago. Professor Snape cursed under his breath as he turned to look for the gamekeeper.

"Hagrid find Filch, I require your assistance in finding a student of mine," he drawled confidently.

"Of course Professor, who is it we're lookin' for?" Hagrid asked concerned.

"A first year, Luka Pearson,"

"Oh you mean a young girl, freckles, wavy hair, abou' this 'igh?" interjected Hagrid.

"Yes, how did you know?" asked Professor Snape, disgruntled that he's been interrupted.

"Met 'er yesterday, she can see the thestrals. They took a real likin' to 'er too, that's why I've been tryin' to talk to yeh Professor. Strange thing though, she wanted to know if there were any flat areas in the grounds," replied Hagrid remembering their meeting.

"And you told her where to go," said Professor Snape. He already knew the answer, with any luck she may actually be there.

"Yeah, I told her to try the road since she wanted somewhere that was paved"

Professor Snape frowned, why did she want a paved area? The courtyard was close by.

"Very well, I will start there first," the professor replied before turning. As he strode off Hagrid once again spoke to him.

"Do yeh still want me an' Filch to 'elp yeh?"

"No, that will not be necessary,"

As Professor Snape walked swiftly out of the castle he noticed the drop in temperature. Luckily for him though his suit and teaching robes were most insulating. He continued his walk by wandlight he noticed that Luka was nowhere to be seen near the castle.

The intervening time between the collision and dinner had not been pleasant for Luka. The blood trickling from her temple onto the rock was not all that ailed her. Before her mind's eye horrid visions appeared. Flashes of green cut through her conscious and behind them blurry laughing figures mocked and cursed her, literally. She didn't know these spells but she felt pain as if she were being cut and whipped. The figures shifted and others took their place. Whilst these weren't intimidating they were none the less terrifying. Unlike their predecessors these were crystal clear in image. There were about five of them, their faces twisted with mindless agony. One was pulling out her hair by the roots whilst another clawed at his face and arms. The others were foaming at the mouth with their eyes rolling wildly in their sockets. Nearly all were rocking back and forth. Another figure appeared but Luka could only see their back but it from their clothing they were clearly a mage. The pitiful creatures before them were dressed as Muggles. They had enough sense left in their fractured minds to back away but one needed to pass close to the mage to get to his companions. As soon as he was within three feet of the mage they raised their wand. A red blast was issued from the small length of wood and hit the Muggle squarely in chest. He fell back bonelessly, like a stringless marionette. His companions keened and mage turned to them...

In the nearby forest Sebastian had resumed his vigil. He watched powerlessly as his mistress squirmed, apparently in the grips of a nightmare. He called Elise to him. The bird said that she had hit her head some hours ago. Sebastian sent Elise back. There was nothing he could do. He couldn't go to the girl himself or call anyone's attention to her and Elise couln't administer the healing potion with talons. He growled, it was at times like this that he really wanted to damn his father to hell, even if he did reside there. His reverie was broken as saw a black robed figure approach his mistress at a fast walk.

Professor Snape's eyes narrowed as finally saw whom he had spent the last three quarters of an hour looking for. Exactly what was she thinking being so far from the castle? No doubt she'd fallen asleep he thought, but if so why was her prone body in such an awkward position? As he got closer he noticed the rock under her head and the owl next to her. It eyed him coldly. That was when he nearly tripped over Luka's skateboard. As Professor Snape caught himself he cursed the infernal contraption beneath him. He recognised it from his childhood at Spinner's End. Now he understood why she wanted a paved area and how she came to be using a large piece of limestone as a pillow. At that point a squawk gained his attention. The owl was standing next to a rucksack. His keen eyes immediately saw the small vial beside the bird. He carefully walked towards Elise wary of any more objects that could litter his path. The bag was heavier than expected and the vial appeared to contain a basic healing potion. That explained why she'd had no trouble in his class, she had already had practice. The bird uttered another squawk bringing the professor's attention back to the student. Muttering about a certain owl's arrogance he made his way to his student. Her head was bleeding but she was still breathing. He tried to move the owl out of the way so he could take a close look but the self important creature just stared at him indifferently. Professor Snape glared at her and got a glare in return.

Elise was not the only one glaring at Professor Snape. Crimson eyes flashed as the wizard bent over Luka's body. Jealousy overwhelmed Sebastian as he saw the professor lift Luka's body to his chest, moved her hair to one side and dab the healing potion on her temple. This emotion was then superseded by rage as he saw the man pick up _his_ mistress. Sebastian lashed out at a nearby tree sending it toppling.

Professor Snape looked around as heard the crash. The owl now attached stubbornly looked into the Forbidden Forest and he followed its line of vision, whilst simultaneously cursing the creature's talons. He saw the tree tops sway and another loud crash was heard. It sounded like the trees were torn down by a giant only there were no such creatures in these parts. As he stared a missile came flying towards him. He immediately cast a shield charm as a large boulder smashed into the ground two feet in front of him. Wand drawn the professor slowly retreated to the castle. It was most difficult to fight when one had to carry a child at the same time.

From his place in the forest Sebastian shook with fury. That filthy mage was walking off with his property and his inability to stop gnawed at him. It was wand users like him who had hurt his mistress so. Just because they could play magic user with little pieces of wood they thought they could command anything they wished. Human arrogance truly knew no bounds. If it weren't for the blasted restriction and the millennium old wards he would rip his mistress from the wizard's arms and impress upon him the true meaning of power. As he stewed in the mix of emotions he heard the sounds of hooves behind him. The centaurs were on their way. Good. Let them come, he felt like tearing things apart.

Professor Snape had sent a patronus to the hospital wing just after the flying boulder so Madam Pomfrey was waiting for him when he arrived with his cargo. When she saw him she couldn't help but smile. His dark eyes locked onto this immediately.

"I had intended to use a stretcher but the infernal girl has got her claws in my robes," Professor Snape sneered. Madam Pomfrey nodded but retained her smile as she asked him the usual questions. Where had he found her? How bad were her injuries and had he done anything to heal them? As the professor laid the girl on a nearby bed he answered the matron's questions. The adults were then faced with a problem secondary to the student's injuries. Luka had indeed gotten hold of Professor Snape. One fist was balled tightly in his teaching robes whilst the other had an unnaturally strong grip o his coat. He pulled out his wand, a small leverage charm should succeed where his fingers had failed.

"Professor! What on earth do you intend to do?" asked Madam Pomfrey as soon as he drew his wand.

"Just a small leverage charm,"

"Oh no you don't professor. If you apply too much force you could easily snap her fingers," squawked the matron. On hearing this Elise fluttered to the bed and nipped the wizard's hand causing it to be withdrawn with a small hiss of pain. Once again she puffed herself up and spread her wings in her mistress' defence. Sebastian would be most displeased if she were hurt under Elise's watch.

"Why you feathered-"

"Professor, if you are unable to remove the hands of one little girl you can simply remove those articles of clothing. Or you may choose to stand there until she wakes up," added Madam Pomfrey as Professor Snape narrowed his eyes and opened his mouth to interrupt. He glared at the matron hoping she would back down. She did not. Placing his wand on the bedside he angrily stripped. Getting out of the robe was easy all he had to do was slip out of the sleeves, undoing the buttons on his frock coat posed a little more trouble as he was in an awkward bent position and his back was beginning to cramp. Finally he straightened in his shirt and cravat and noticed that the girl had immediately curled up in his clothes whimpering slightly. His eyes narrowed dangerously.

"Was she like this when you found her?"

"Yes, she was whimpering when I picked her up and got hold of my clothes," the professor replied dispassionately, " will she be released by tomorrow evening?"

"Yes, why?" asked Madam Pomfrey in turn.

"She will be serving detention with me tomorrow night," he replied as he filled out one of the numerous detention slips he kept on his person.

"On what grounds professor?" asked the matron shocked at the wizard's callousness.

"She was in the grounds after dark. That is all the justification I require," he said sternly and before he could be interrupted added, "also seeing that I won't get my clothes back tonight I would like them sent to my quarters. Laundered,"

With that he swept off leaving a slack jawed matron in his wake. After he redressed he would speak to the Headmaster about the rock from the forest. It seemed that the centaurs weren't doing a good job of supplementing the school's security.

The next evening came too swiftly for Luka. She had spent the morning being scolded by Madam Pomfrey for her recklessness and reassuring her friends that she was quite alright. Even though, she had to admit to herself she was quite scared by her nightmares. As she knocked on the door of her professor's office she knew the next few hours weren't to be pleasant.

"Enter," Professor Snape barely raised his head from his paperwork as she entered, he indicated for her to stand by his desk. She did so and waited. Internally smiling at the student's discomfort the professor decided to hesitate before cutting to the chase.

"You know why you are here Miss Pearson?" he asked locking his black eyes onto hers. She returned his gaze nervously.

"Yes sir, Madam Pomfrey explained that I was in the grounds after dark," she replied though she left out the part where the witch had muttered to herself about a certain potion master.

"Good, you are to scrub benches and sort Flobberworms," he said as stood and led Luka to a nearby classroom. As she set to work silence settled as the professor resumed his paperwork. After the first two benches were clear he spoke again.

"Hagrid informs me that you have seen the thestrals,"

"Yes sir, they are quite friendly despite their appearance," Luka replied as she looked up. Professor Snape paused before continuing with his questions.

"You are of course aware that the only people who can see thestrals are those who have seen death first hand,"

Luka looked quite shocked at this. He liked seeing genuine reactions.

"No sir I wasn't aware," Luka said, her thoughts immediately brought back to her nightmares, "can someone se them even if they don't remember the death?"

"You can't remember?" a head was shaken in reply, "Then you have your answer. What were you dreaming of when you were knocked unconscious?"

Luka then proceeded to give an account of what she had seen. The professor instantly recognised the green flashes and the red blast as she had described it seemed to be a stunner.

"Are you sure you can't remember these people?" he asked unconvinced she was telling the whole truth.

"Yes sir, I can only remember the past year. The accident that killed my parents gave amnesia sir," Luka replied.

"How did they die?"

"I don't know sir, my foster parents won't tell me. They say it might bring back bad memories. They won't even tell me my parents' names or give me a photo of them," Luka said forlornly, the fact that her foster parents denied her those pieces of information stung bitterly. Professor Snape contemplated this information silently. The more he heard about the girl's legal guardians the less he liked them. The nightmare also made him pause. On one hand it was perfectly that it was the product of an over active imagination that amnesia and thestrals made it more worthy of attention. If the vision was real she had been a witness to a terrible crime that should have made the papers. Then again the involvement of Muggles was a touchy subject for the ministry and Fudge's power over the Daily Prophet was well know. He would have to talk to the Headmaster again.

"So you think that her foster parents are deliberately holding things back from her? In addition you believe she may be a key witness to a Muggle bating attack?" asked Professor Dumbledore as he regarded the younger man over the rims of his glasses.

"Yes to the former, they have already proven that the inordinate amount of self-righteousness they had as teenagers has continued into their adult lives. They accused the girl of being Dark just for being in my house. As for the latter, I can't be sure but it's suspicious," Professor Snape replied.

"Ah yes, Minerva informed me of that letter. It's disappointing to see house prejudices taken so seriously," the headmaster said sadly.

"There is also the matter, I believe, of that rock being thrown from the Forbidden Forest, you said you would ask Hagrid to question the centaurs,"

The headmaster nodded in reply as he chewed another sweet.

"Yes, there seems to be something in the forest that is far more dangerous than usual. The centaurs sent a party out so see about the disturbance you reported. None of them returned. Others were sent to look and found nothing but bodies torn to pieces. There was however one survivor who lived long enough to tell them what happened though she died soon of blood loss. Three of her legs had been torn clean off and she had been partially eviscerated," he paused as he saw Snape wince at the details, "she said that the intruder had the form of a man but was not a wizard. Apparently he had black hair with red eyes and was strong enough to rip apart four centaurs with his bare hands. However whilst the man was not a wizard she said that his aura was incredibly magically powerful and dark. Even his shadows danced with energy whatever he is not only can he kill centaurs with ease but those crashes you heard appear to have been caused by sme trees being pushed over. It was done so completely that the roots were ripped out of the earth. Do not fear my boy, I have already increased the power of the wards protecting this castle,"

"So whatever is out there may not be human," Professor Snape felt tempted to say that it was a vampire but the centaurs would have mentioned that, and it would have fed off their corpses.

"Precisely, we must be on our guard,"

Seeing that the headmaster had ceased Snape turned to leave.

"I will make enquiries at the ministry about young Luka's parents and any possible attacks she may have been a witness to. I trust that you too will make your own enquiries,"

Professor Snape nodded in reply and left the office.


	9. Halloween

_Yay, double update. I own nothing._

Whilst the next day hadn't been too bad Tuesday was the worst day so far for Luka. In return for her letter to her foster parents, which lightly glossed over her detention, she received what every student dreads. A Howler. Elise landed next to Luka and she took the letter with shaking hands. The reputation of these red robed letters was bad enough.

"Open it quick Luka, it'll be worse if you don't," said Lucy trying to be encouraging. Luka nervously opened the letter as more of her housemates turned to face her.

"LUKA WE ARE ABSOLUTELY DISGUSTED! TO THINK THAT YOU WOULD RECEIVE A DETENTION IN YOUR FIRST WEEK. IT SEEMS THAT YOU ARE BECOMING AS DUPLICITOUS LIKE THE REST OF YOUR FOUL HOUSE. DID YOU HONESTLY THINK WE WOULDN'T FIND OUT ABOUT YOUR WRONDOING? IF YOU KEEP GOING ON AT THIS RATE YOU WILL END UP IN AZKABAN BEFORE YOU'RE TWENTY. DO YOU TRULY WANT TO BE DEMENTOR FODDER FOR THE REST OF YOUR LIFE?" boomed Jacob's voice.

Luka sat staring at the latter as it turned to ashes, which Elise began scratching at angrily, half of her felt shell shocked the other half wasn't to curl up in a ball and sob. The rest of the hall sat in stunned silence. Wasn't it a bit of an overreaction for one detention? At the head table Professor Snape and McGonagall looked at one another. They had thought that the first letter was bad but Luka's foster parents were utterly fanatical. Back at the Slytherin table Lucy touched Luka's shoulder tentatively.

"Are you ok? You do know that none of that was true,"

Luka nodded in return now the shock was wearing off she just felt like crying but she managed to hold it in. She noticed how everyone was shooting glances in her direction, some sniggering./

After the Howler the week passed quickly as Luka and company settled into their respective routines. Their accomplishment of the week was to be able to do shielding charms under the tutelage of the second year Slytherins. Granted that they were quite weak but they blocked some of the hexes that were coming their way in increasing numbers. Apparently the bullies didn't like it when they tried to defend themselves. Once again Friday had come around and once again Luka and Lucy finished teir potion slightly early. They handed in their near perfect concoction and were once again told to help their classmates. Lucy went straight to the blonde Ravenclaw she had talked to the week prior whilst Luka imitated Professor Snape by patrolling between the desks. A cauldron over too much heat here, someone stirring the wrong way there. Just as she was helping some of her housemates with correct ingredient preparation an explosion was heard from the front of the class. Two Ravenclaws were lying on the ground more dazed than hurt but faces blackened none the less by the explosion. Professor Snape swept over and scolded the pair for the foolishness before deducting house points. No wonder he's always so naggy thought Luka. He turns his back for a second and someone hurts themselves usually by not reading the instructions he had put on the board. As class ended and Luka was about to leave she was called back to the front of the class by the professor. Luka told Lucy to go on ahead and she swiftly joined her new friend from Ravenclaw, Luna.

"Miss Pearson, do you know why I have held you back?"

His tone reminded her of her detention, "No sir,"

"I wished to inform you that despite the erroneous beliefs of your foster parents you are not destined to go to Azkaban over one detention," he hated sounding so nice but he felt a touch of guilt as he had written to her foster parents. That and Minerva and Poppy had been hounding him to talk to the girl. He sincerely hoped it wouldn't embolden her to continue the conversation. Unfortunately he'd found that hope was futile in his job.

"Um, Professor, what books would you recommend for defence against the darks arts? At the moment we're learning by example as Professor Lockhart gets us to act out scenes from his books. We haven't learned any spells yet," asked Luka nervously, she'd heard that Professor Snape coveted Professor Lockhart's job. Professor Snape let himself narrow his eyes, he'd heard things from his students, not to mention what he had seen firsthand, but things had to be bad for a first year to speak out.

"Before Professor Lockhart the set text was 'The Dark Forces: A Guide To Self Protection' by Quentin Tremble. Another book often used by students here is 'Curses and Countercurses' by Professor Vindictus Veridian,"

"Thank you Professor, was there anything else you wanted to tell me sir?"

When the professor shook his head she left with a smile. To say that this was disconcerting for the professor was an understatement. Even after a detention with she still smiled at him. Either he was becoming soft or she was mad. Then again with two sociopaths for foster parents who could blame her?

And so life at Hogwarts continued. The constant rhythm of class, homework and leisure time. Luka continued to excel in potions and charms whilst Peter was top in astronomy and Colin continued his quest to photograph everything magical. He's even got a few photographs of the Gryffindor quidditch team practicing. Lucy remained best in class in transfiguration much to the ire of the Gryffindors and although she still remained close to her first friends she spent quite a lot of time a week with Luna trying to track down her stolen possessions. The group was still being dogged by their peers and one of the books indorsed by Professor Snape proved its worth. 'The Dark Forces...' was easily found in the library and went beyond the foundation work set in 'Countercurse and magical self defence for beginners'. The other book however was nowhere to be found so Luka would have to wait until the Christmas holidays. However they carried on regardless with their normal lives until the events of Halloween.

The feast had been wonderful, giant pumpkins and although there had been no skeleton dance troupe the food had been excellent. As Luka, Lucy, Colin and Peter met up outside the great hall they got swept up in a crowd. They ended in corridor facing graffiti and a hanged cat, Mrs Norris. Lucy gasped in horror thinking of her dear Creampuff. Colin tried to take a photograph but one of his housemates stopped him, it was after all in such bad taste. As an angry voice was heard behind them the students parted and let Filch through. His face fell as he saw his cat dangling by her tail from a torch. He grabbed the nearest student who Luka recognised as the famous Harry Potter from Colin's photos. Just as he looked like he was about to garrotte the boy Professor Dumbledore and the rest of the teachers arrived. With the exception of Harry Potter and his friends the students were dismissed to their common rooms. On their way to the dungeons Lucy and Luka whispered nervously about what they had seen. Exactly who was the heir? And were anymore cats going to be harmed?

In the headmaster's office the staff were debating what the message had meant. Professors Dumbledore and McGonagall exchanged worried looks whilst everyone tried their best to ignore Gilderoy. As things quietened down Professor Snape spoke.

"Headmaster do you think this has anything to do with the incident in the forest?"

At this everyone grew silent, they hadn't heard of any incident.

"No Severus that incident would be unrelated. Given that he didn't step out of the forest it would appear that he couldn't enter the grounds and that was before the wards around the school were increased," Professor Dumbledore replied calmly.

"What person Albus? I wasn't informed," enquired Professor McGonagall.

"Someone threw a boulder at Severus from the Forbidden Forest in the second week of term. In addition the same person killed some centaurs,"

Professor McGonagall narrowed her eyes, she hated to be kept in the dark. The staff meeting continued for over an hour. As it ended Professor Dumbledore asked Professor Snape to wait.

"Have you found out anything about Luka's parents?"

"No, the typical bureaucracy of the ministry is slowing my progress," the younger man replied.

"I am afraid I must say the same and the Wizengamot hasn't heard of any Muggle baiting on the scale that appeared in the girl's nightmares. Perhaps it was a wild goose chase after all. Goodnight Severus,"

As Professor Snape left he wondered whether he was right to continue looking. Then again if he found out that Luka had some willing relatives then she wouldn't have to live with those self righteous lunatics.


	10. Petrified

_Hi guys, thanks for the reviews hey're great motivation. Over 100 visitors and a follower wow. Sorry that this chapter doesn't further the plot much, I think some of you feel its a bit slow but I'm trying to darken Luka gradually. As usual I own nothing (do I have to do a disclaimer each chapter?)._

The next day every student was on edge though despite this though Lucy still managed to get everyone to sign a get well card for Mrs Norris and slide it under the cantankerous caretaker's door. Unfortunately he caught them as they were about to leave and yelled at them before sending them off. Lucy stubbornly insisted that he was touched by the gesture. Luka, Colin and Peter weren't so sure. Still regardless of the possible threat Professor Lockhart's lessons still lacked any form of depth. Luckily the group's extracurricular activities made up for it.

As time continued its stately procession it soon became time for the first quidditch match of the season; Gryffindor versus Slytherin. Lucy and Luka had a brief look at hair colour transfiguration but gave up when it became clear that it was far above their grasp, just because they were the top two in their class didn't mean they were going to try something stupid. Professor McGonagall would kill them. As they made their way to the stands, Peter in tow though Colin went with his housemates, they discussed the rules and possible strategies. None of them had seen a real game before but the twins knew a lot from their dad who was a fan. The game started off interesting but became increasingly scary. Whilst the Slytherins were in no danger of losing yet, their brooms far outclassing those of their rivals and leading 60:0, one bludger had taken a distinct dislike to Harry Potter and pursued him with zeal. This distracted the Gryffindor beaters and a time out was called by the team. Once play resumed the snitch was sighted and the seekers plus one headed for it. Though not before a painful collision between the Gryffindor seeker and his spherical friend had taken place. In the end Gryffindor won. Whilst disappointed the trio had to admit that it'd been a fair match and Slytherin had given the lions a run for their money. From the stands they could see Professor Lockhart run to Harry Potter who had landed in the mud after catching his prize. Luka and Peter exchanged sad looks, poor Harry. Later they all found out that the professor's incompetence had caused the seeker to lose all his bones in the one arm. After the game they didn't see Colin as he was hounding the Gryffindor quidditch team for photographs. The next day he was in the hospital wing stiff as a board. The trio had been allowed to see him briefly. It had been horrible. The body was seemingly untouched but preserved like petrified wood. Lucy had cried in Peter's arms whilst Luka looked on in anger. Whoever had done this would pay. But it couldn't be his housemates they lacked the necessary power.

Later that night as Luka she _willed_ Colin to be better. She'd heard somewhere that strong desire alone could do magic so she sat in her bed hand clasping her wand and eyes shut. She saw his heart resume beating, chest rising with breathing and skin regaining its proper colour. With these thoughts in mind she slipped from consciousness. She arose groggily the next day to Lucy's shrill cries. Luka squinted at her friend for she had an awful headache. Lucy stood with the rest of their roommates, they had been markedly friendlier since Luka had started helping them in potions, looks of horror on each of their faces.

"Erm... what's wrong?" it was so hard to form a coherent sentence and to top it off her neck ached and stung as if a collar of pain encircled it.

"Your face...your pillow...they're covered in blood," Lucy cried.

Luka turned around slowly. The pillow was indeed crimson. She touched her face, blood caked it from the nostrils down. A nosebleed she thought. Gradually she swung out of bed and staggered to her trunk. Her roommates surrounded her as if they were afraid she'd fall. Luka waved them off if she went slow enough the light headedness wouldn't overcome her. She sank to her knees in front of the trunk and pulled out a vial of Dawn Draught, it wasn't as potent as Madam Pomfrey's Pepper-up Potion but it was a start. After taking a gulp she dragged herself back up and set about getting dressed for the day despite Lucy's protestations.

In the hospital wing Madam Pomfrey was about to get the shock of her life. She had gone to check the progress of the petrified Gryffindor despite knowing there would be no change until the mandrake potion was complete. What she saw directly contradicted this. As she set eyes on the first year she screamed. Instead of his arms being out in front of him as if he still held the camera they were on his chest. His skin had regained its pink tone and as the matron reached out to touch his forehead it was warm. She felt his arm. It was still stiff but far less pronounced than when he arrived. After shutting her eyes, counting to ten and checking that what she was seeing was real she made her way to the headmaster's office.

The day was going incredibly slowly for Luka. Everything was hazy through the pain, she'd taken something for it but it simply wasn't enough. Whenever anyone spoke to her it seemed as if they were distant. For the first time she couldn't concentrate on charms. Professor Flitwick had asked what was wrong and Lucy had blabbed instantly. Immediately after hearing about her blood loss the professor sent Luka to the hospital wing with Lucy going along to look after her.

"Are you quite sure Poppy?" Professor Dumbledore was astonished it wasn't everyday that a petrification victim made a miraculous recovery.

"Yes Albus, I put a monitoring charm on him on my way here his heart has beaten five times. People who are petrified don't have beating hearts," the matron replied.

"Very well, I shall send a patronus to Minerva to tell her to meet us by his bedside,"

Professor McGonagall was there to meet them when they arrived.

"What's going on Albus? Your patronus said something about young Creevey," she asked worriedly, surely he hadn't deteriorated?

"Poppy here says that there has been an improvement in the young boy's condition," Professor Dumbledore just about managed to keep the disbelief out of his voice and the three moved past the curtains to the boy's bedside.

Colin's condition hadn't changed. Whilst it was a distinct improvement from rock solid he was still comatose. Professor McGonagall gasped whilst Professor Dumbledore's eyes widened. In addition to the obvious change in the boy's condition he could feel remnants of power circulating around the bed.

"Heart beat, breathing, all functions have been greatly slowed down. However he still stiff but that could just be muscular contraction," stated Madam Pomfrey.

"What could have done this?" asked Professor McGonagall.

"I don't know Minerva, I definitely haven't given him anything," replied the matron.

"For someone to have done this they would have required a colossal amount of magical power. I think even I would be hard pressed to do it," Professor Dumbledore said as he contemplated the mystery before him.

As they began to discuss options they heard people enter the hospital wing. They exited quickly hastily drawing the curtains around the bed. They were met by the sight of two first year Slytherins. One was extremely pale and being half dragged by the other. The two women recognised them but the headmaster did not.

"Hello, my friend's hurt. She had a really bad nosebleed and she's been tired all day," Lucy explained nervously.

At this Madam Pomfrey bustled forward to have a closer look at the girl. She was as pale as death and barely seemed conscious.

"Come along we just need to get her to bed," said Madam Pomfrey as she and Lucy dragged Luka to the nearest bed. Luka tried to nod but her neck and skull ached too much for her to move it. As she was being laid on the bed Professors McGonagall and Dumbledore drifted over curiously. It was clear she hadn't been petrified but she looked incredibly drained.

"How bad was the nose bleed?" asked the matron now all business.

"Real bad. She must have had it in the night because in the morning her face and pillow were covered in blood. When she got up she was staggering. She took some potions and seemed a little better but then she just got worse again," replied Lucy who was now close to tears. It was just too soon to lose another friend.

Madam Pomfrey waved her wand over the girl and found that she was short of a lot of blood and there was something else. A shiver ran down her spine but she just put it down to recent events.

"I'll need to give her some blood replenishing potion, has Severus been informed?" asked the matron. In reply Professor Dumbledore sent his patronus.

"Can I stay?" squeaked Lucy.

"You can for a little while, then it's back off to class with you," replied Madam Pomfrey, "Do you know of anything that could have caused this nosebleed?"

"No, she was just really worried about Colin,"

Sometime later Professor Snape arrived at the hospital wing bloody pillow in hand. He'd gone to look in her dormitory as soon as heard about her, it was only a minor detour. The headmaster's patronus had told him that the girl had had a severe nosebleed. What he'd found suggested that it'd been more of a major haemorrhage, the pillow was soaked through. He'd wondered how she'd made it so far through the day.

"Ah there you are Severus my boy. Luka's just woken up but she's still a bit tired," the headmaster said genially as Professor Snape approached before seeing the pillow, "is that her pillow?"

"No, it's my lucky charm. Of course it's her pillow I brought it so Poppy could gauge how much blood she's lost," sneered the younger wizard.

"I think you'll find I can gauge blood loss without such aids professor," the matron said sharply as she narrowed her eyes at the dour man.

"You said she was conscious," said Professor Snape hastily changing the subject.

"Yes but she is tired so be nice," replied Madam Pomfrey remembering how he'd acted last time she had seen him with the girl.

And so the battle of wills began as each of the pair tried to stare each other down. Madam Pomfrey won. Professor Snape averted his eyes and stalked over to his student all the while muttering to himself. Professor Dumbledore smiled to himself around another lemon drop, sometimes Severus' bark really was worse than his bite.

"Madam Pomfrey tells me you have had a most severe nosebleed," started Professor Snape as he took the spot next to the bed that Lucy had vacated in order to go to class, "have you been doing anything unusual to have caused it?"

Knowing the girl it'd probably been self-inflicted. He had confiscated her skateboard but she appeared to have found another way to hurt herself. Stupid girl.

"Umm, not really sir I was just concentrating really hard last night on hoping that Colin would get better. The next morning I woke up with my face covered in blood and my neck and head hurt quite badly," Luka replied as she sat up.

"Why did you attend class in your condition?" Snape's eyes were narrowing at her foolishness.

"I didn't want to fall behind sir,"

"Did anything else happen last night?"

"No sir,"

"Very well, once Madam Pomfrey releases you start catching up. I expect no less from students of my house,"

With that he turned away and Luka dived into her rucksack to start reading her textbooks. She felt so useless here and come hell or high water she was going to study.

"I take it you two heard what she said," said Professor Snape as he strode to Professor Dumbledore and Madam Pomfrey, "it seems as though she was just unlucky although the headache is strange. Did you find its cause?"

The matron shook her head.

"Well in that case I'll be returning to my dungeons since I have wasted enough time here. It's not as if she actually helped the boy," he continued and was about to leave when he saw his two elders exchange a meaningful look.

"Actually Severus there is something I think you should see," replied the headmaster.

Professor Snape followed him to the curtained bed as Madam Pomfrey busied herself with some fifth years covered in boils who had just come in. Professor Snape stared at the boy before casting a silencing charm on the area.

"That is not possible. Just because she wanted him to get better doesn't mean he should spontaneously do so," he said astonished by what his eyes told him.

"And yet Severus he has partially recovered. Instead of being petrified he is now in a coma. Poppy has done all she can to rouse him but to no avail. It appears that he will still need the mandrake potion," replied Professor Dumbledore.

"But the power needed..."

"Yes, it would have had to have been a great deal of magical energy. It appears that her body is paying the price. If she can develop the use of that power so that it is safe for herself and others she will be a phenomenally powerful witch," Professor Dumbledore said sombrely, "never the less Severus you should be happy. She has earned Slytherin twenty points for her good deed. You're back in the running for the house cup,"

And with that Professor Dumbledore left leaving a still flabbergasted Snape behind. Ah well at least Lockhart wasn't to take credit for this.

Luka was discharged the next day.


	11. Duels and dreams

_If this is the last chapter before new year happy new year! I own nothing etc._

By the third week of September Lockhart had finally worked that he wasn't employed merely to spout off about his books. As soon as Lucy, Luka and Peter saw the notice for the duelling club they decided to join up, finally they might actually get to learn to defend themselves properly. Their disappointment was bitter that evening as they saw Professor Lockhart in his purple robes but they were heartened when they caught sight of Professor Snape. The professors' demonstration proved most amusing. Luka and Peter both cheered and clapped when Professor Snape sent the less able professor into the air. In return Lucy glared at both of them.

Then it was their turn. Unfortunately whilst the twins went up against one another Luka ended up with a fourth year Gryffindor, Fiona Fairfellows. After the bow and salute the fight began. Luka did her best parrying and casting shielding charms but her opponent was relentless. Luka refused to give ground, she knew that it wouldn't help. Magic was typically used beyond the range of six feet. As Fiona lunged forwards Luka attempted a _protego _shield but this was shattered by Fiona's _reducto_. Luka landed forcefully on the floor knocking her head sharply as she did so. Fiona strode forwards and stooped to take Luka's wand. As the younger girl hauled herself back up the other stayed put a foot in front of her smirking.

"What are you going to do now you pathetic snake? Without you're wand you're nothing. Who do you think you are to stand against me?"

'To stand against me' Luka thought. Those words and sentiments were familiar. As she looked into her opponent's eyes she saw not Fiona but the ghost of another. Instead of tied back blonde hair she saw a ragged tawny mane and a pair of bushy eyebrows instead of pencilled ones. She was not nothing. Luka snarled and narrowed her eyes before throwing herself on her opponent. Her right hand on his throat and her left on his wand wrist she pushed him to the floor. She would show him that true magicians didn't need such props. A real mage's power could be called on at any time and channelled however they pleased. Yes, that was it channel the hatred and anger into the arms for combat. Luka smiled cruelly as her left hand tightened and felt the bones beneath grind together whilst the other hand was raised and balled into a fist. Luka felt a mix of triumph and rage as each blow descended on the visage of her foe. She was more than nothing! She would stand against them! All of them if need be. These filthy-rotten-evil-selfish-vile mages! Each word was punctuated by a downward punch. She would make them pay, oh yes they would pay dearly for what they had done! But what had they done? She could not remember and at that the red mist evaporated. Underneath her was not the body of an unknown enemy but that of a weeping and bloodied girl. Luka slackened her grip on her wrist and the bruised member was retracted shakily to the girl's chest. Fiona's nose was completely flattened and her lip cut in numerous places. Luka sat up before Fiona pushed her off and ran to the door. Still sitting Luka had a look around, the twins were sparring gently,the troll-girl Bullstrode had a Gryffindor in headlock and for some reason there was a cloud of green smoke covering two boys. Ah, one boy had a broken wand that would explain it. She then noticed that Professor Lockhart had ordered everyone to halt and two boys took to the centre stage as it were. She recognised them as Harry Potter and Draco Malfoy. Luka stood after picking up her wand and rubbed her nose as she walked over to watch. As she did so she noted that her knuckles were split and bleeding. Her mind felt slightly foggy as the beginnings of a headache stirred within her skull. The fight between the boys started prematurely, Malfoy really was a stranger to honour. Harry Potter retaliated though which seemed to irritate the Slytherin further. In malice he conjured a snake. At the sight of a chance for heroics Lockhart strode forth but only succeeded in infuriating the snake by sending it skyward. Once it was back on the ground it turned to the nearest student, a Hufflepuff, and reared to strike. Unexpectedly Harry Potter stepped forwards and spoke to the snake in an unknown language. Luka couldn't make out the words but the meaning was clear; back off. The snake obeyed and turned to Harry as if it were a well trained puppy. At that point Professor Snape incinerated it. Luka pitied the snake, it shouldn't have come to that. At this thought she realised how tired she was and that the headache was worsening. It felt as if the seam of her mind was being unpicked. She waved goodbye to the twins and made her way back to her dormitory. As soon as she fell on the bed she was enveloped in sleep.

It was the dream again, only this time it was crystal clear. Luka felt as if she was strapped down in a bed, her head felt as if it had been torn to pieces as it throbbed so. Her surroundings looked like those of a hospital only the instruments didn't seem like the non-magical ones she was used to. She could hear raised voices. There was a man in a black suit with neatly combed black hair. He was being dragged off by other men. They had a similar appearance to him with their pale skin, lithe frame and red eyes. The eldest was shouting at the man.

"You're leaving her behind and that is final. I will not have my youngest son back under the thumb of mages once more. You haven't recovered from the last time!"

"No! I won't leave her, at the very least she is my property," shouted the younger man as he struggled.

" She wasn't worth it two years ago and nothing has changed. If you don't want to leave voluntarily just remember that your _true master_ owes me a favour,"

On hearing this younger man looked shocked and hurt, "Surely you wouldn't..."

"I will. If you visit her, aid her or solicit aid on your behalf I will call upon that favour and make sure you never see her again. If she can't remember you on her own it just shows that you never had anything in the first place," the elder man said coldly and the young man sagged in his grasp before beginning to move away under his own power. As they approached the shadow gate in the wall he turned to Luka.

"Luka I order you to remember me! Remember me and return to my side," he shouted his widened eyes pleading.

"Se-Sebastian!" cried Luka as she stretched out her arm towards him as far as the manacles would allow.

Sebastian's eyes remained fixed on hers until he was swallowed by the gate.


	12. Christmas holidays

_Thanks again for the reviews, the previous chapter has been corrected :) As usual I own nothing, not even the weird animals of Futurama._

The next morning saw Luka wake up severely confused. The man from her dream had felt so familiar yet she knew no more about him than his name. Also, did the events of the duelling club where she had felt pleasure from inflicting pain on another mean that she was indeed going Dark like her foster parents had warned? She would be seeing them soon. Then again perhaps she could use the holidays to ask them about her parents.

The events of the duelling club soon became talk of the school once more when the Hufflepuff, a lad called Justin, was attacked along with Nearly-Headless-Nick. Everyone had Harry Potter marked as Slytherin's heir but Luka didn't think that was true. Unfortunately she would be leaving at the end of the week so she wouldn't be able to tell him that some people didn't believe the rumour. As the week passed Luka noticed her actions at the duelling club had been noticed as well. Now she was receiving hexes from a growing number of Gryffindors. These ranged from stunners to attempts to get her to fall down the stairs. Now as she towed her trunk alongside the twins who were also headed home she found that their way to the entrance hall was blocked by none other than Fiona herself and some older, larger boys.

"Well if it isn't the little snake. Crawling off home are you?" she crowed, all her haughty arrogance returned.

"Come for another bruising have we?" asked Luka in rely, though in truth she hated twisting the knife.

"Oh this time it won't be me walking away bruised. That is reserved purely for you and your little friends if they don't move along,"

"Leave her alone!" cried Lucy.

"Oh shut up you fat pig," hissed Fiona and Lucy flinched biting back tears.

"That's it, say something like that again to my sister and you will regret it," snarled Peter, he'd grown sick of the hurtful comments directed at his dear sister.

"Your sister is an ugly, greasy haired, potbellied little snake. It's a fact so I will state it as such," replied Fiona.

Luka was about to loudly object when she saw the steely glint in Peter's eye.

"Siegfried," he said as he addressed the toad that was happily surveying their surroundings from the top of Peter's head, "make these idiots walk around and cluck like chickens,"

Peter's mouth formed a malicious grin as Siegfried captured their enemies' gazes. His horizontal pupils undulated as power flowed out of them and the Gryffindors obeyed his owner's wish. All three of them laughed as they watched their elders scratch around, flap their arms and one lad attempted to crow. Luka was happy to see Lucy smiling again and she couldn't help but say;

"All glory to the hypno-toad,"

xxx

It was quiet back at her foster parents'. They had barely said a word to her apart from the standard pleasantries. As she finished her unpacking she felt the oppressive silence that reigned throughout the house creep into her room. Even Elise was quiet and still. Before long it was time for tea. Luka sat down opposite her foster father as the adults served themselves steak and kidney pie. As they began to eat Luka's foster parents discussed recent events. Apparently a man called Arthur Weasley was to fined for possessing a flying car and the 'Muggle protection act' was in question.

"What's the 'Muggle protection act'?" asked Luka.

Her foster parents turned to her, to the casual observer they looked like vultures surveying an interesting carcass.

"That act is a fanciful piece of legislation to try and stop so called Muggle baiting," replied Jacob, seeing Luka's confusion he continued, "Muggle baiting is when wizards alter Muggle objects for fun such as vomiting toilets and causing blackouts. It's just a bit of amusement but it also puts the Muggles back in their place. Or it would if they knew the cause of the incidents. That piece of legislation call for harsher punishments for those who partake in the sport,"

"Surely if the baiting continues Muggles would be more aware of magic and it would go against the Statute of Secrecy," replied Luka still not fully understanding.

"No, the Muggle Liaison Office ensures that they remain in the dark," said Rose smiling sweetly.

They continued eating in silence. Luka mulled over what she had been told, it just reinforced her image of her uncaring foster parents. Surely if they were aurors they had a job to protect people, even Muggles from harm caused by magic. After what she deemed to be an appropriate length of time Luka asked the question she'd been waiting to ask.

"My friends at school ask about my parents. What should I tell them? I don't even know their names," Luka enquired.

"We've been over this before Luka. You aren't to know until you're of age, all it will bring you is pain. Just tell your friends that they died in a horrible accident. That and it's none of their business," replied Jacob his tone making clear that the matter was closed.

After tea Luka sat on her bed mulling over her options. It was clear that her foster father would allow no further prying on her part. If they had information where were they hiding it? The answer came immediately- their study. Rose would be out starting the shopping tomorrow and her foster father would be at work. She smiled and petted Elise happily before starting on some of her homework.

The next day at breakfast Luka made sure to act normal despite buzzing inside with excitement. Not a second too soon they left. Luka bolted to the door faster than a rat up a drainpipe. She held her hand over the door knob as her hands had always been sensitive to magic and she didn't want to trip any alarm. There was nothing. She turned the knob and the door swung silently forwards. One hand out stretched she moved slowly into the room. No traps so far but she knew she had to be cautious just in case. Luka edged over to the desk and began on the draws. Nothing of interest apart from a couple of bank statements. Apparently there was more money coming into the house than they made out. After that she started on the books to see if they had anything hidden in them. Nothing. Not even the adoption records. Luka left the study a she had found it. She went back up to her room, Elise chirped in greeting as she opened the door. Where else could the information be, she'd been in her foster parents' bedroom before today and hadn't seen anything there. Where had she been banned from going? The only thing she could think of was the trunk but an hour had already passed. When would Rose be getting back? Then again she might never get another chance. She raced downstairs to the kitchen. Jacob kept a set of assorted keys on a ring in the pantry cupboard and luckily thye were still there for Luka to swipe. Taking the stairs two at a time she called for Elise as she pulled down the ladder to the attic before making her ascent. Score. The trunk was still there.

"Elise perch on the window sill. If fostermum comes start squawking loudly please," Luka told her owl in an unnecessary whisper.

Luka trotted across the floor boards to the trunk. She inspected the lock. It looked pretty old and scratched so she looked for a key to match. She found it and to her relief it worked. The lock clicked and she pushed the lid open to reveal its contents. Luka frowned. Rose had told that these items had belonged to a Dark witch but these things were Muggle in origin. No self respecting Dark witch would use these. The two top items Luka recognised as a phone and a laptop. Lifting these out Luka dug further into the trunk. She pulled out a few manga volumes, an envelope, a book on rock guitar and two large chemistry textbooks. Luka opened the envelope to find photographs. With her heart in her mouth she looked through them. Quite a few were of a set of chickens and other animals such as cats, a dog and a snake. The sixth photo made her pause. It was the man from her dream. He was dressed in formal attire; a black waistcoat over an old fashioned formal shirt with a wing collar and black tie, his finely pressed trousers and polished shoes were also black. His outfit was completed by white gloves and a silver shield shaped broach on his left lapel. Sebastian was smirking at the camera. Next to him stood a woman in a maid's uniform. She was shorter than Sebastian. She had wavy hair like Luka's but it was darker and tied back in a French plait. Her eyes were hazel and her pale complexion was free from freckles yet Luka saw a resemblance between the woman and herself. Was she a relative, perhaps even her mother? Then who was Sebastian? An uncle perhaps but then why had he ordered her to return to his side? It was an odd phrase for a relative to use. Luka looked on the back of the photograph but it was devoid of names. She continued through the photographs. They were mainly of Sebastian and the mystery woman. A few showed them in a bar surrounded by their friends or at least happy customers as they were in uniform whilst the smiling people around them were holding up drinks. Some showed the woman with her hair down, it was below her waist with the ends died pink and purple. The last photograph made Luka gasp, the woman was standing back to back with Sebastian. He was posing with a violin as if he were about to play whilst she was poised to strum a guitar. _Luka's_ guitar, she recognised it immediately. The woman had to be her mother. Her foster parents had said that the guitar was from when she was with her parents and it was a little big for Luka though still playable. Grief constricted Luka's throat as she stared at the face she couldn't remember. How come Sebastian made it into her dreams when her own mother did not? Packing the photographs away carefully Luka had a second look at everything else. She flipped through the text on organic chemistry until she found a picture of experimental apparatus. That was why Professor Snape's glass ware had seemed so familiar. She had seen it all before; all manners of flasks, reflux equipment and condensers. Luka knew them all, her mum must have been a chemist. She hugged the precious connection to the past to her chest and willed herself to remember but nothing surfaced. Suddenly Elise started squawking. Panicking Luka hastily stuffed the envelope into the organic chemistry textbook before repacking the trunk. She gestured for Elise to follow her as she fled the attic clutching the book. She made it to her room and shoved the book into her school trunk and covered it with one of her school robes. Luckily deactivating the wards around the house took Rose a few minutes so Luka had time to try and school her expression into one of interest as she pulled out a school book. As expected Rose came to her room to check how she was. Luka said fine and Rose smiled in return. Once again the smile didn't reach those cold eyes. Luka tried to keep her increasing hostility from her face as Rose left her in peace. They had told her that the trunk had items from a Dark witch yet there was nothing to substantiate that! It might have been on the laptop but the lads at the skate park said that laptops had passwords that were frequently changed and since most Dark witches were Slytherin, and hence blood purists, the allegation against her mother was looking increasingly false. The injustice gnawed at Luka but she couldn't alert them to what she knew. If they had lied to her about her parents what else had they lied about? She would have to bide her time and find out on the quiet. To do that she would need magical skill so she would have to study hard. Until the day when she knew what was going on she would have to play the role of dutiful foster daughter. She would start by helping Rose unpack whilst at the same time replacing the keys.

xxx

On Christmas day Luka woke not to excitement but irritation and anxiousness. It'd happened again. Another blackout, this time she'd lost an entire day. She hated not knowing what she'd done. Luka looked imploringly at Elise despite knowing that the owl could tell her nothing. She briefly contemplated asking her foster parents but dismissed the notion immediately. As if alerted to her being conscious her foster parents burst into her room. Talk of the devils and they will come Luka thought.

"Merry Christmas Luka!" they chorused plastic smiles coated over all their faces.

"Merry Christmas to you too!" Luka replied as she smiled sweetly.

They led her downstairs to the tree that hadn't been there a couple of days ago. Rose ushered her to open her presents first; 'The Dark Forces: A Guide To Self Protection' (her foster parents had been shocked at Luka's description of the curriculum taught thus far) and a four galleons. In return her foster parents received some charmed trinkets Luka had made at school. After was the dinner. If not for the false cheer and saccharine small talk and of course the company Luka may have enjoyed it. The food was most pleasant. Towards the end of the afternoon Luka excused herself and went back to her room. She wanted to take a closer look at her mum's textbook. Perhaps she might remember something else this time.

xxx

Hogwarts one hour post meridiem Christmas day;

Professor Snape muttered to himself as he completed his latest potion. His further enquiries at the Ministry of Magic had gotten him nowhere. It wasn't the usual inept bureaucrats he was being stonewalled. To say this irked him was putting it mildly. At least his potions were going well. The one he was finishing was a slow acting truth serum for tonight's staff party. If he introduced it early enough by the time its effects became noticeable it would be assumed that drink was to blame for the loose tongues. Professor Snape knew that he would probably get to know things about his colleagues that he really wouldn't want to but then he had vowed revenge months ago.

Midnight, Professor Snape exited the staff room. As he shut the door behind him he shook his head. Truth or dare whilst being quite illuminating had also been quite disturbing. Try as he might he couldn't get rid of the image of Rolanda streaking around the Quidditch pitch. At least they'd all had a good laugh about Lockhart being the owner of several wigs. On a more serious note he'd tried to talk to the headmaster about the ministry. Professor Dumbledore had been sympathetic but put down the ministry's reticence down to Snape's mixed reputation rather than any ulterior motive.

xxx

The day after Boxing Day Luka headed to Oswestry skate park. She may only have her quad skates left but she could chat to her friends from the park, it had been a while since she'd seen them after all. No one was there when she arrived so she sat on a rail and looked through the chemistry book and photos again. Here she knew she would be free from the prying eyes of her foster parents. She smiled as she saw the one with Sebastian surrounded by cats. His smile seemed more natural in this one than in the photograph where he and her mother posed with their instruments. Her trip down no-memory lane was soon interrupted however.

"Well, if it isn't Sebas-chan's second brat. Why do you children always monopolise him? Would it be too much to ask for you to share?" enquired an effeminate voice from above.

Luka looked around to see what she thought was a red haired man leaning against the railings of the nearest vert. He wore a red frock coat with matching heels and black skinny jeans. However his dress was the furthest thing from Luka's mind for the man was carrying a chainsaw. She'd heard of the 'Texas chainsaw massacre' and had a good enough imagination to visualise the injuries possible from such a weapon. She would have to stall so she could pack her rucksack before legging it, or rather wheeling it.

"Who are you and how do you know about Sebastian?"

The man leapt the rail and proceeded to walk towards Luka, "I will have you know that Sebas-chan is a very _personal_ friend of mine. A better question would be how do _you_ now Sebas-chan? Your memory was supposed to have been erased over a year ago," he drawled as he ran one hand through his tresses.

Luka was dumbstruck, her memory had been erased? Information was coming too thick and fast. She cleared her throat before continuing the conversation.

"I don't remember much. Just him ordering me to return to him as he was being dragged off. Was he a friend of my mum's? I found a photo with him in it with her,"

"Your mother's friend. Haha, that's just too funny. He's your _owner_ dear as stated by your contract with him," replied the man with a Cheshire cat grin. At this point Luka noticed his sharpened teeth. Creepy.

"Um, thank you. I've got to be going home now. Bye," said Luka as she attempted to turn and leave.

"Really? You just got here and aren't you waiting here for someone? You've hardly stopped looking around since you sat down," smiled the man.

"Not anymore, good bye," replied Luka as she headed off.

"Be careful brat, I hear that sometime foster parents do _unforgiveable_ things to the children in their care," called the man as Luka exited the park. At that Luka picked up the pace so she could get to the relative safety of home.

xxx

The day before Luka was set to go back to Hogwarts she and her foster parents went to Diagon Alley as a treat. Luka had mainly been concerned with picking up new potions ingredients, some new, more advanced, charm books and the book on countercurses Professor Snape had mentioned. Luckily she had enough money for her little spending spree as she swiftly located the second hand section. A swift look through 'Curses and Countercurses' showed Luka the run of the mill hexes she had to endure on a daily basis and how to negate them. It would certainly prove useful if she couldn't put up a shield on time. Afterwards Jacob even treated her to an ice cream sundae. If it weren't for the photographs and the red head Luka would have enjoyed herself thoroughly but as it was she was constantly on edge. Before too long they apparated back home and Luka could peruse her new purchases at her leisure.

xxx

Sebastian was having a lousy day in the maid cafe he managed. It was one of the franchises set up by the Funtom company and unfortunately one of his maids was off sick with the flu. More like a hangover knowing her he thought. So he had spent his time with a fake smile pasted to his face as he attended to a less than illustrious cross section of the British public, the worst of all being the dog owners. He was sure that it was one of his master's cruel jokes to make all his cafes and bars dog friendly. As he polished some glassware he noted the unfortunately familiar crimson reaper appear before him.

"Why, hello Sebas-chan," he purred, "I feel honoured to have the manager himself serving me on this _fine _day,"

Sebastian pinched the bridge of his nose to curb his impatience. He utterly hated the reaper from his overt flirting and his gaudy dress sense to the way he spoke and batted his grotesquely elongated eyelashes.

"What do you want Grell?"

"Oh I'm so thrilled you asked! What I _really_ want is your children Sebas-chan but since you've refused me- though that won't stop me trying- I will settle for a medium caramel flavoured cappuccino to go," replied Grell as he leaned towards Sebastian.

Sebastian made the coffee as fast as possible before taking the reaper's money. As he turned to the till he heard Grell call out to him from the door.

"Oh, I just remembered. Do you recall your _little lost Luka_?" Grell asked mockingly causing Sebastian to turn swiftly to face him, "she remembers you calling for her,"

And with that the reaper left a shocked demon to his thoughts. Sebastian blinked before considering the enormity of the news. She remembered him! But only slightly. One memory wouldn't be just cause in his father's eyes for Sebastian to go to her, but that could change. If he could convince his father that his little mistress was coming back he might not carry out his threat if he went to pick her up from school and restore her memory in full. If Sebastian left as soon as the cafe was closed he could be at his father's estate my the morrow.


	13. Dungeon antics

_Hi guys, thanks for the kind reviews. The end of this chapter and the next one are developed from an idea submitted by Paxloria. As usual I own nothing, hope you like it._

Sebastian's heels clicked on the black marble floor as he strode across the entrance hall of his father's home. He narrowed his eyes as he saw the wraith who had started all the trouble with his parent.

"Claude, where is my father?" he asked acerbically.

"In his study," came the equally cold reply from the settee.

"In trouble again are you?" giggled Alois who was equally as undead as his butler.

Sebastian walked past them to the staircase to the first floor. His father's home wasn't as large as the Phantomhive manor so it didn't take long to reach the study. He knocked before entering, to increase his chance of success he would have to be on his best behaviour. Sebastian walked to face his father over the ornate desk.

"Father I have come with news that my mistress now remembers me," Sebastian said quietly.

The elder demon leaned back in his chair and regarded his son before answering, "Has she made contact with you via Elise or returned to you as per your instructions?"

"Not yet, Grell told me that she had only partially recovered her memory but I'm sure that my mist-"

"Why do you keep calling her that? The contract is now in your favour. Your are her master not the other way around," interrupted the older demon, his son's continuing subservience to a food item irritated him.

"Habit," replied Sebastian, despite this not being the entire reason, "I came to ask if I may go to her to help restore her memory,"

"No,"

"Why?"

"My conditions have not been met, she must return to you on her own. You are not to interfere," replied the older demon.

"But surely-" Sebastian started.

"No buts Sebastian. You _will not_ interfere, she is only a human, a creature that is beneath us. To help her is once again to put yourself in danger for no just cause. I will not allow that," his father said firmly.

"Very well then father, good day," said Sebastian and turned to leave.

"Is that all you came for? Didn't you want to catch up with your family?" asked his father as his mood swung from strict disciplinarian to hurt relative. Sometimes Sebastian couldn't keep up.

"I suppose I could stay for a while," he sighed and mentally moaned when he saw his father's face light up. Humans always thought that it was just their families who gathered together at this time of year, at least they had tv over Christmas.

XXX

"So Luka, how was your holiday?" asked Lucy chirpily as the three of them sat reunited on the Hogwarts express.

"Strange, I think I know who my mum is, sort of..." replied Luka quietly as she stroked Elise.

"What do you mean sort of?" enquired Peter looking up from his 'Beginner's guide to transfiguration'.

Luka proceeded to tell them all she knew from her findings in the trunk and speaking to the strange man.

"So he said your memory was erased rather than you lost it in the accident?" asked Lucy.

"Yeah, my foster parents said I lost my memory when my parents were killed. But if it was erased it was probably done after the accident. In a way it makes more sense, if it was done by magic my blackouts could be a side effect. I don't know if you get blackouts after head trauma or other causes of amnesia," Luka said.

"If it was erased who did it and why?" the girls turned to Peter, he'd brought up a good point.

"My foster parents know about the blackouts and they've never mentioned going to St Mungo's to get it fixed so it's possible that either they don't care, know about the memory block and don't want it damaged by dealing with the blackouts or they don't want my memories to return because they don't want me hurt. Personally I think the last one's unlikely," replied Luka.

"That doesn't really answer the questions. If they know about the block did they cause it and to what end?" continued Peter thoughtfully.

"I don't know. The things I can remember are pretty much based around wizards thinking that they are superior to Muggles, that fits my foster parents' ideas but it still doesn't explain why," Luka conceded, the whole situation was giving her a headache.

"Perhaps those traumatised Muggles were the victims of a crime you saw, perhaps the same incident that claimed your parents. Then maybe your foster parents, since they don't like Muggles, erased your memory to keep you from trying to report the crime," Lucy chipped in though she knew it didn't make sense Aurors were supposed to be good weren't they?

"That answers the why and all that stuff in the trunk was Muggle so I'm thinking my mum could have been the Muggle out of the two and perhaps my dad got dragged in as well. Kinda like in the crossfire but if my mum was at the crime why don't I remember her? All I saw was a group of Muggles who I don't know about," replied Luka.

"Muggles whom you don't know yet," Peter added, "for all you know they could have been close family friends. Speaking of which, how did you end up with an owner who was a friend of your mum's?"

And so the conjecture continued for the rest of the trip. The only things that emerged were a worsening picture of Rose and Jacob and the decision to find out if the school library kept back copies of the Daily Prophet. Perhaps a Muggle baiting attack would have made the papers. Another line of inquiry would be magical contracts. Luka knew about non-magical legal contracts but not their magical counterparts.

XXX

Once back at school they heard about the rumours of another attack, this time on a Muggleborn Gryffindor called Hermione Granger. As Luka waddled laboriously under the weight of a large file containing old newspapers she saw Harry Potter in the library with some other Gryffindors. She'd heard of the mutterings coming from some Hufflepuffs and remembered her desire to tell him that there were those who didn't believe such rubbish. After heaving the file onto the table she and the twins were using she made her way back to the so called 'Heir of Slytherin'.

"Um, excuse me, you're Harry Potter aren't you?" she asked nervously as the boy turned to face her, "my name is Luka Pearson and I'm a friend of Colin's. I just wanted to say that my friends and I don't believe what the Hufflepuffs and Peeves are saying about you being the one behind the attacks. I saw you at the duelling club and whilst I couldn't understand what you said to the snake I know that you made it back off. Err... that's all I wanted to say so I'll be off now,"

"Luka, thanks. Most people don't look at me the same anymore, pretty much all Hufflepuffs run at the sight of me so it's nice to know that you believe me," Harry smiled back as Luka began to scuttle off.

Luka smiled in return before going back to her table. As she left she heard the ginger boy next to Harry ask if he thought that she was the heir but Harry told him to be quiet. It was nice to know that Gryffindors weren't all spite and hexes.

Come mid February after the day of Pink Horror as the students had dubbed it the three students had come no closer to finding out about Muggle baiting. Apparently the Auror Office had had some trouble a year ago but that was all they could find. The only thing that had changed as far as Luka's memories were a set of recurring nightmares. In addition to the dream with Sebastian Luka often awoke to the disturbing notion that her hands were covered in blood. She couldn't recall much of the nightmares apart from flashes of light and blurred faces crying out from agony or for mercy.

The only other development in the trio's daily lives was the increase in aggression from other students. Since no Slytherins had yet to be attacked members of the other houses saw fit to hex them whenever they pleased. As they were already outcasts in their own house Lucy, Luka, Maxwell and Shirley along with Peter who was guilty by association spent far more time in the library often researching new curses and how to counter them. Sometimes Luna would join them but since she put the thefts of her possessions down to nargles she didn't get involved in the research. Luka was pleased as she could now do quite a few charms from 'Standard Book of Spells: Grade Two' which she'd bought at Christmas and she'd found a book in the library detailing less than pleasant potions. These gave her ideas, nefarious ideas.

Luka had taken to brewing after hours in one of the most dingy, long forgotten dungeons as she didn't want to cause explosions in the dormitory and after some persistent nagging she'd let Lucy accompany her. They were currently working on a potion to dispel boils, the next potion on the list was one that caused boils so Luka wanted an antidote if the brewing of the latter went wrong. Unfortunately the girls' nocturnal activities had not gone unnoticed. As he passed the dungeon door Professor Snape noticed whispering and wand light from beneath the door. Wand at the ready he eased the door open. He shook his head as he saw the backs of the two culprits, he recognised Pearson instantly. Silently he walked up behind them until he was able to read the instruction book over their shoulders. Oblivious to his presence the girls' continued the potion utterly absorbed in the task. The professor briefly considered scolding them immediately but the potion was reaching its most volatile stage so he decided against it. There would be plenty of time to scare them later. He took a step back so that he was just over a yard behind them in case something went wrong and waited patiently for them to finish. It didn't take them long. As soon as they had packed they turned around.

"Aaaaaaaaaaaaaah!"

Professor Snape allowed himself a miniscule tight lipped smile. He enjoyed getting the drop on students and seeing their reactions. Their joint scream hadn't disappointed him and he was pleased that they also had their wands out to defend themselves.

"Well, what are two first years doing out after curfew and brewing a potion that isn't on your syllabus?" he asked coldly as the two students paled in fear.

Lucy could only stutter so it was left to Luka to give a coherent response.

"Err... we ran out of time to brew this today so I decided to brew it tonight. Umm Lucy didn't want to come but I asked her to...umm we were just making a potion to get rid of boils," Luka stammered under the professor's intense stare.

He knew she was lying about something from Elleberry's expression.

"Is that true Miss Elleberry, did your friend force you into this?" he drawled, in return all he received was a shake of her head and yet more incoherent stutters, "Do try and form coherent sentences Miss Elleberry, I do not wish to have to wait until dawn for a _true_ reason for your actions,"

Under such pressure Lucy couldn't help but cave in.

"We just made the potion so we could make another that causes boils. We need it to fight off the other students- they've been giving us hell since we've been back 'cos of the attacks. Luka didn't force me to come- I wanted to 'cos I want to get a bit better at potions," she said as fast as humanly possible. Beside her Luka groaned, they were definitely in for it now.

"Which students?" Professor Snape asked growing irritated that there had been bullying without him being informed.

"Ju-just some random Gryffindors sir," replied Luka.

"Who are called?"

"We don't know their names sir," Luka said nervously, his eyes were piercing.

"Very well, five points will be taken from Slytherin for each of you since you are out after curfew," he watched them retreat out of the dungeon as he wove a Find Me charm on the pair. He knew they were lying, they had other little friends and knew who their enemies were. It would be better to catch the whole lot of them at once rather than letting these two play martyr. Also, if Gryffindors were up to no good it was his duty as a teacher to make sure they were punished rather than let off the hook like they usually were. If he was lucky he might be able to deduct enough points to ensure that Gryffindor were out of the running for the House Cup.

XXX

The next day was the usual mix of lessons and guerrilla hexing for the young Slytherins and Peter. During the break Professor Snape observed them, indeed it was mainly Gryffindors starting the fights but the Ravenclaws were getting involved as well. Even the 'fair to all' Hufflepuffs put in the odd spiteful word. That said, his two students and the Hufflepuff boy were putting up a good fight, virtually none of the hexes fired by their year mates found their mark and they struck back fairly efficiently. If it weren't for that imbecile Lockhart cornering him he would have collared some of the students there and then. During the next few lessons he would have to make sure notes were delivered to all the students involved in the fray, he would have to notify the other heads of houses as well. How troublesome.

Unfortunately as they were on their way to Professor Snape's office the group of Slytherins and Lucy met their opponents from earlier as they too were bound for the dungeons. The result was all too predictable. Pretty much as soon as they laid eyes on one another hexes started flying. This primitive form of duelling then deteriorated into magical fist fight due to the cramped conditions.

Further down the corridor the teachers sat around Professor Snape's fireplace.

"I just find it hard to accept that my 'puffs have been involved in this sort of behaviour," commented Professor Sprout.

"As I said earlier, they kept on the outskirts egging the Gryffindors and Ravenclaws on," replied Professor Snape.

Professor McGonagall was about to retort on the behalf of her house when the noises of the commotion reached them. It sounded like people were brawling in the corridor. As they opened the door brawling was exactly what they saw. Lucy and Maxwell Gregory were lying on the floor stupidified whilst their friends were fighting around them. Shirley Samwell was being restrained by a Ravenclaw fourth year boy so that his house mates could jinx her in retaliation for her petrifying three of their friends. The other two were taking on the five Gryffindors that were still fit to fight, the other three were subject to powerful forms of the Jellylegs jinx and Bat Bogey hex. Peter was duelling three of them whilst Luka was shoving what appeared to be a handkerchief under the nose of one opponent before turning and confunding the other. What appeared to be a small orange ball was then shot into his mouth. He fell to the ground coughing and salivating uncontrollably.

"What on Earth is going on here!?" bellowed Professor Snape, not for a moment did he think they would play up so close to his office.

The reaction of the brawlers was nearly comical. They slowly turned to the professors as if they were shocked that their ruckus had been heard. The Ravenclaws immediately released Shirley and the three Hufflepuffs distanced themselves further from the fray.

"To my office. All of you. Now," Professor Snape hissed.

The group, numbering twenty two in total, filed in after him although the lad who had ingested the orange ball had to be dragged in by two of his friends, as did the one who had encountered the handkerchief. Professors Flitwick and McGonagal had swiftly put those petrified, stupified and cursed to rights so they could move under their own power.

"Exactly what did you think you were doing? This is a school not a duelling arena," scolded Professor McGonagall.

"We... we just..." started the eldest Gryffindor before cowering under the combined glare of the professors.

"Well regardless of your reasons I am shocked and disgusted at why you would attack those younger than yourselves," replied Professor McGonagall sternly.

"As am I but I think we should first address the problem of those two," said Professor Flitwick pointing at the two Gryffindors who'd been seen off by Luka.

The girl with the handkerchief lay insensible upon the floor whilst the lad was now sweating, bright red and sputtering his saliva as if he was choking.

"Miss Pearson what _exactly_ did you do to them?" Professor Snape asked coldly.

"Uh, the girl I knocked unconscious with a sleeping draught in the handkerchief and I forced a concoction of chilli extracts into the lad's mouth," replied Luka nervously.

Professor Snape raised an eyebrow, well at least she had been innovative in her approach.

"And to counter the effects..?" he questioned.

Luka turned to the girl and cast _rennervate_ before answering. At the charm the Gryffindor woke with a start as she realised where she was.

"Usually the effects of chilli are countered by ingesting milk but I think the chillies I used were too high up the Scoville scale for that to be effective. I guess a pain reliever would be best,"

"You guess? Using an attack you don't know how to counter is sheer folly," the professor replied as he summoned a local anaesthetic potion and handed it to the girl to administer.

As soon as the second Gryffindor was recovered the interrogation began. The staff were shocked by how long it had been going on and the reason for it.

"So, because of the action of one student who may or may not be in Slytherin you saw to it that these students were harassed and you believe that the entirety of the house should be expelled?" asked Professor McGonagall incredulously, to think that house rivalry had gone this far...

The Gryffindors and Ravenclaws nodded sheepishly in response.

"What of you three? Why did you encourage something that goes against the spirit of our house as well as that of the school?" enquired Professor Sprout who seemed mainly hurt that her 'puffs would be involved in such a thing.

"We just thought that they had it coming, especially after the attack on Justin," replied a third year girl.

Professor Sprout shook her head, there seemed to be a canker in her house if they were acting so spitefully. As much as she hated to do so she would make an example of her students.

Professor Snape turned to face his own students once more, "Why did you not report this behaviour to a teacher or at the very least one of your prefects?"

Lucy was looking at Luka pleadingly so once again she became the speaker for the pair, "We didn't want to trouble you sir because of the attacks. We thought that it was trivial in comparison,"

"It is most certainly not trivial and I repeat, what of the prefects?"

"They would have laughed at us if anything," replied Maxwell resentfully, "all the purebloods look down on us and think that we're second to them. Especially these two," he indicated the younger girls, "because of they were friends with Colin Creevey and Lucy still talks to her brother,"

Professor Snape clenched his jaw slightly, it seemed that this generation embraced blood purity dogma as eagerly as his own had.

"Who are the bullies from Slytherin?"

"Pretty much every pureblood is happy to put the boot in but it's usually Malfoy and his cronies as well as Parkinson and Bulstrode," replied Shirley.

"They shall be dealt with," said Professor Snape who was at the same time thinking of how he would get around Lucius when he punished Draco.

"All that remains now is the matter of the punishment," squeaked Pofessor Flitwick, "may I suggest both deducting points and detention?" he asked his colleagues.

"I quite agree. Ten points will and a fortnight's detention for you," Professor McGonagall said to the bullies, "and five points and a week's detention for you five. After all the brawl we witnessed outside was partially your doing,"

And with that the old witch dismissed the lot of them, although Professor Snape had other ideas.

"Miss Elleberry, Miss Pearson stay behind," he said curtly as they turned to leave.

Once the other students and staff members had vacated his office he continued, "You two will each receive two extra detentions for your deception last night. Also, where did you get the handkerchief idea from Miss Pearson? That is by no means a normal method of administering a potion,"

"I-I got the idea from a book sir, it mentioned how chloroform used to be used by kidnappers," she replied.

"Which book?"

"Her mum's chemistry text," said Lucy quickly, she wanted to be out of the dour man's office as quickly as possible, unlike Luka she wasn't immune to the intended effects of the office's decor.

In her mind Luka groaned. She had told the professor she didn't remember her parents and now he would think that she was a liar. Sure enough his dark eyes were now focused on her as if he was viewing her very soul.

"I do believe Miss Pearson, that you told me that you couldn't remember your parents," he said quietly.

"Yes sir, but I found a photograph in my foster parents' attic that I believe is of my mother," Luka relied hastily.

"Why do you think that it is of your mother?"

"She was holding my guitar, my foster parents said that the guitar was from when I was with my parents,"

This seemed to satisfy the professor who considered it for a moment. Despite recent events at the school the activity at the ministry had piqued his interest.

"Bring the photograph and textbook with you along with _all_ of the potions you have made for the detention you will be serving with me on Friday," he ordered as he dismissed the girls.

As they left the professor's office the girls didn't know what to make of his order.

"Why do you think he wants to see those things?" asked Lucy.

"Perhaps he wants to make sure I can't get any more ideas from the textbook but I don't know about the photo. I don't think that it's likely that he'll tell me either, best just to go along with it," replied Luka nearly as clueless.

XXX

Friday came swiftly and Luka once more descended the steps to the professor's office, though thankfully the corridor was devoid of Gryffindors. She knocked on the sturdy wooden door and walked in on command. Professor Snape sat at his desk surrounded by stacks of essays. He didn't spare her a look but motioned for her to take a seat.

"Do you have the objects?" he enquired as he finally looked up and set down his quill.

"Yes sir," Luka replied as she handed over the textbook with the photograph of Sebastian and her mother on top. She then rummaged in her rucksack for the modest collection of vials and put them on the desk in front of the man.

The professor decided to flip through the textbook first, he didn't want the girl getting any more ideas. By the looks of the neatly labelled vials most of her potions were intended to heal but some were pretty nasty. An ochre one in particular looked quite similar to a potion brewed in her class last week that had nearly demonstrated its capabilities as an explosive.

"Where did you get the idea for that potion?" he asked pointing at the offending item.

"Last week when Luna brewed it I asked what she'd done. Then I recreated it and placed a stasis charm on it so it wouldn't explode sir," Luka replied, his questions didn't bode well.

Professor Snape allowed himself to momentarily close his eyes in exasperation.

"Miss Pearson do you have _any_ idea how badly you could have injured yourself and others if you had not placed the charm correctly?" he asked.

"Um, yes sir. In the lesson you said that Luna's cauldron could have created an explosion that would have consumed the entire front row so I'd guess that the vial would be like a grenade," she replied sheepishly.

Stupid girl. She'd known the risks and blatantly disregarded them. After giving the girl a suitably chastising glare he returned to the text. He stopped when he found diagrams of apparatus, they looked quite like his own. Seeing the professor pause Luka decided to speak up.

"I think that the reason why I liked your office sir was because it all looked quite familiar," she ventured nervously.

Professor Snape inwardly groaned, he hated to be reminded of the girl's reaction to his office. After all this was a place that no student should feel comfortable.

"Miss Pearson, do remember to speak _only_ when you are spoken to," he hissed before turning his attention to the photograph. It was Muggle and he too could see the resemblance between the brat in front of him and the woman. However it was the man who immediately caught his attention. Black hair and eyes of the deepest crimson, quite a resemblance to the description given by the dying centaur.

"Do you know this man?" he asked as he flipped the photograph around for the girl to see.

"I know of him and I have one memory of him sir. His name is Sebastian, I don't know his last name, and apparently...he's my owner," Luka finished quietly.

Professor Snape swiftly swallowed his surprise and continued the line of questioning, "I think you had best explain everything you know, starting with how you found these and your memories,"

"It started with a recurring dream. Everything was fuzzy but I could see his face as he was being dragged away, he ordered me to remember him and return to his side. The memory only became clear after I hit my head in Professor Lockhart's Duelling Club. As for the book and photo they were in a trunk in my foster parents' attic that I found in the summer. They said that the trunk belonged to a Dark witch and told me not to touch it, but after the memory resurfaced I felt I needed to learn more so I checked their study first but I found nothing. The only thing I couldn't touch was the trunk so I went back to it. I believe that they were lying when they said it belonged to a Dark witch. None of the objects were magical at all. Just some electronics, chemistry books and an envelope with that photo and others in it-"

"Do you have the other photographs?" Professor Snape interjected.

"Um, yes sir, here they are," Luka had brought them just in case and she handed them over quickly, "most of them just seem to show ordinary life,"

Professor Snape flicked through them. What the girl had said was true, most seemed to be of pets but quite a few of them were of Sebastian and the woman. He wasn't entirely convinced that the woman was Luka's mother. In most of the photographs Sebastian wore gloves but in a couple his hands were bare. His fingernails were black but other than that he couldn't see anything out of the ordinary as the top of the man's hands were often obscured leaving just his palms and fingers. As he opened the parchment envelope fully to check that nothing was left inside he spied something silver in the bottom corner. He extracted it to find that it was a silver pendent with the short chain wrapped around it. The pendent was a shield flanked by eagle's wings and thorns. The inscription below the shield read 'potentia regere'. His eyes flicked up to gauge the girl's reaction. She had absent mindedly brought her right hand up to her neck as she stared at the pendent.

"Did you know that this was in the envelope?"

"No sir, I just took the photographs out. I didn't check for anything else," she replied before narrowing her eyes as she concentrated on the small piece of metal, " it looks like the badge that Sebastian wears on his lapel in the photographs,"

"Yes, speaking of the man you haven't mentioned the reason why you think he's your owner," Professor Snape continued.

"After I found the trunk and photos I went into Oswestry, the town where I live, and I sat in the skate park so I was away from my foster parents. There I met a man, or at least I think it was a man, he was acting very effeminately. He was standing on the vert, a large concave ramp," she added seeing the professor's lack of comprehension, "and as he started speaking he jumped off. It was odd because he landed silently and the jump should have caused him a bit of pain but he acted like he'd just stepped off the pavement. He was dressed in a red frock coat and he was carrying a chainsaw. His glasses also had skulls on the chain and his teeth were filed into points. He said that he was a friend of Sebastian's. He also said that my memory had been erased and that according to a contract he's my owner. I left as soon as I could, the man was quite creepy,"

Professor Snape listened silently and considered the information presented to him. He wasn't sure which character seemed more suspicious Sebastian or the one with the chainsaw. Though if her memory had been erased rather than lost in the accident it would explain the ministry's reticence. Not to mention why her foster parents forbade her from touching the trunk, though she'd done it anyway. It seemed that she did possess some Slytherin characteristics.

"Have you ever seen that man before?" he asked just to get all the information possible.

"No sir, he's distinctive so I would remember him," Luka replied.

"Well then, this evening you will sorting rotten potion ingredients from their useable counterparts," he ordered as he showed her to one of the benches in his office.

As Luka began her task Professor Snape sat considering his next move. Legilemency without her guardians' consent was forbidden unless there were extenuating circumstances. Taking her to St Mungo's would again require consent so that was ruled out. Potions or obliviation reversal also needed the go ahead from them. It would have to be something undetectable so that it could be passed off as her regaining her memory naturally, which was happening anyway though slowly. He was sure he could brew the required draught and the girl had bought herself enough detention time for him to both make the draught and test it without raising suspicion.


	14. Sickening flashbacks

_Hello! Once again thanks for the reviews (I don't just say this as a matter of course I am genuinely grateful that you've taken the time for them). As usual I own nothing I'm just doing this for fun._

Later that evening Professor Snape managed to get the headmaster on his own. He'd taken the liberty of replicating one of the photographs of Sebastian with a charm. At present Professor Dumbledore was calmly looking at it.

"He most certainly bears a striking resemblance to the description given to us. I can quite easily tell you this Severus, neither this man or a case involving the servitude of children has come before the Wizengamot in over a decade. For now you must keep her out of his clutches and determine exactly what we are facing," the older man said, surprisingly calmly.

"'What we are facing'? Am I to infer that you don't believe Sebastian to be human?" asked Professor Snape.

"My dear boy, contracts are not exclusively used by humans. Furthermore, the centaur said that whilst he was not a wizard he had the ability to command magic and strength enough to topple trees. Not to mention the fact that he tore a group of centaurs to pieces. I do believe there are a good many books on such Dark creatures and magical contracts in the library's restricted section. You would do well to start your search there," he replied sagely.

"Then you have no intention of helping. Very well then, I will take my leave. Goodnight headmaster," Professor Snape said sullenly, typical, just typical. That man would take any Gryffindor to his bosom but a problem with a Slytherin? They were on their own. He turned to leave.

"Severus, I did not mean to seem dismissive. It is just that with the attacks my duties as headmaster have become far more time consuming. The governors are becoming increasingly agitated and keeping the situation out of the Daily Prophet is becoming more difficult. However before you go I can impart another piece of information. According to Alastair Moody Luka's foster parents were friends of those killed just over a year ago. Since then they have grown more fanatical and erratic," said the elder wizard.

Professor Snape inclined his head in thanks and left. If they were fanatical by Moody's standards it would explain their choice of correspondence with their foster daughter. Just because the brutal murder of their friends had occurred in mysterious circumstances with a supposedly unknown perpetrator was no reason to call an eleven year old dementor fodder.

XXX

The next week was the end of February and by Wednesday Professor Snape had his potion. So far he'd had the girl scrub cauldrons and prepare ingredients, the professor had briefly made her clean his specimen jars but she had took to reading the labels and asking questions. As he heard her steps grow closer he considered the filled beaker in front of him. He knew he would have to ask whether she wanted it, it would be disconcerting to say the least to have lost memories popping back into one's head to say the least. When she knocked and entered he motioned for her to take a seat in front of his desk.

"Do you know what this is Miss Pearson?" he asked once she was seated.

"No sir," she replied nervously, she wasn't going to be his guinea pig tonight was she?

"Its name is inconsequential but is a potion for retrieving one's lost memories. If you so wish you can try this tonight to see if you can remember your parents. There is, however, one condition. You are not to tell anyone that I gave it to you," he said silkily.

Luka contemplated her options for a moment. On one hand she might get to remember her parents. On the other hand, why the condition of secrecy? Was the potion illegal? Then again, Professor Snape didn't seem like the type to go beyond professional boundaries and put his job on the line.

"I agree to your condition sir. I want to know what happened to my parents... and what's going on with Sebastian," she said finally.

The professor allowed himself an unnoticeable smile. The girl was astute enough to realise she could find out about her owner as well being able to see her parents. The results of this were really going to be quite intriguing.

"You will need to drink all of this. Not in one gulp but relatively swiftly," Professor Snape instructed as he handed over the beaker.

Luka accepted the beaker and began to sip quickly. She immediately began to feel nauseous and her neck was hurting again. Just as she had imbibed the third quarter of the potion her stomach gave a lurch. She quickly drank the last of it and placed the beaker back on the desk. Professor Snape was watching her quietly from across the desk. Slowly she saw images float before her eyes but her attention was summoned away from them by the mounting sickness. Her stomach could no longer contain itself. Luka lurched off her seat with her hand clapped across her mouth as she looked around wildly for something to throw up in. Professor Snape was also standing and sensing her needs conjured a bucket in front of her. She fell to her knees before it and heaved. Her stomach squeezed and ejected its contents until there was nothing but bile. As the vomiting turned to dry heaves her stomach cramped painfully and her neck ached yet still the odd flash of memory passed her eyes.

Professor Snape regarded the girl as he knelt next to her. As soon as she had shot up with a hand across her mouth he had known what was going to happen. Though, despite this it still felt horrible having to see, hear and not to mention smell a pupil vomit in front of him. It was not the first time he had seen it but he had still been surprised by the violence with which her body had reacted to the potion. Grudgingly he patted the girl softly on the back with one hand whilst summoning some pumpkin juice with the other. As she finished coughing Luka pulled out a handkerchief and wiped the tears and spit off her face. Looking up, Luka noticed how close the professor was.

"Sorry sir. I just felt so sick," she said quietly.

Professor Snape took his hand off her back and handed her the pumpkin juice.

"Drink. Slowly," he told her.

Luka sipped the juice slowly, she didn't want to throw up again. Professor Snape watched her for a moment before turning his attention to the contents of the bucket. Amidst a pool of ordinary vomit was what looked like a small quantity of clotted blood however the odour told him that it was his potion. The professor frowned, his potion had been brewed perfectly, there was no reason why the light turquoise concoction was now the black congealed mess that lay before him. The only things that girl could have eaten to interfere with it would have killed her long before the potion touched her lips. He paused as he noted that his contemplation was being quietly observed by his student, he vanished the contents of the bucket with a flick of his wand before sending the vessel back to its place.

"Do you feel better now?" he asked in the most uninterested tone he could manage, he didn't want his reputation damaged after all these years. The only thing that kept the brats away from him was fear.

"Yes sir. I don't feel sick at all now," Luka replied as she and the professor resumed their seats.

"Did you recall anything before you vomited?" asked Professor Snape.

"Umm, yes sir. Do you remember those Muggles I mentioned a while ago?"

"Miss Pearson it is your memory that is the subject of tonight's enquiry _not_ mine," he replied coldly.

"Sorry sir. I don't remember their names but I can remember what they were doing before they were attacked," she hesitated as Professor Snape leaned forwards slightly, "not immediately before...there's a gap but I think I remember up to a few hours before. They were going caving in mid Wales and they found something.I don't remember what it was. The next bit I can recall before the attack was them shouting to someone, something like 'we won't tell anyone'. That bit was blurry, I was busy being sick at that point," she finished, Luka felt slightly disappointed, they weren't really any closer to the truth than before.

"Did you remember your parents?" asked Professor Snape, his curiosity aroused even more by the drips of information coming his way.

"No sir, nor Sebastian," replied Luka sadly as she sat rubbing her neck. Thankfully the pain had subsided with the nausea.

"Miss Pearson is there something wrong with your neck?" enquired the professor.

"Not now sir, but it hurt when I was sick. It started to ache as soon as I started drinking the potion," Luka replied.

Upon hearing this Professor Snape paused before setting the girl her task for her detention. Sick or not she was still going to be punished. As she set about it he considered the information presented to him. The Muggles had seen something that a group of wizards didn't want them to. That had two possibilities. Either they witnessed a crime which would explain the manner with which they were dealt with or somehow they came into contact with some particularly violent obliviators. That was less likely though since that branch of the ministry was pretty well regulated unlike their cousins the aurors. In addition to the meagre piece of information the girl's memories presented more questions. Where were her parents and Sebastian if their charge had been in danger? Professor Snape sighed, he would have to continue his search in the library later.

XXX

Not for the first time that night Professor Snape groaned in frustration. He'd entered the library after closing time and was now perusing the tomes by wandlight. So far the search wasn't going well. The books did detail species that used contracts but the details were incredibly sketchy. The list of species that used contracts or formal deals included pretty much every kind of fairy and even discounting those that could not appear as human in form that was still a long list. Then there was the more worrying alternative; demons. One particularly decrepit looking volume gave scant details on Faustian contracts. In return for service a person could offer their soul to a demon. This person would be marked and consequently would never be able to escape, that said fairies were known for being dogged. Could such a contract interfere with a potion? Even he didn't know. Furthermore was the mark visible? The book did not say, nor whether there was a way to magically reveal that someone was a contract holder. Perhaps it was possible to alter the spell for revealing possession. The girl had said her neck hurt so a Faustian contract was possible but if it were true why was she still alive? If Sebastian was a demon he may not be able to breach the school's wards but he could still get her when she out and about, the man with the chainsaw had had no trouble in doing so. Blast, he hated it when evidence conflicted with itself but he was left one viable option. Brewing another, slightly different, memory reviving potion and seeing what came of it. Her body may reject it or it may not. Alas, the other one would take three weeks to brew as he needed to marry its properties with another potion to make it undetectable. He would have to ask the girl first whether she wanted to continue before he committed his time to the task.

XXX

Three weeks later the mid-March sun saw the end of the cold snap they had been experiencing. Luka had agreed earlier to continue with the potions so once again she made the trip to Professor Snape's office. They repeated the same routine. He told her to come in and without looking up gestured for her to take a seat. The potion was lilac this time and it smelled quite pleasant. Luka sipped it hesitantly. Just like last time the pain and nausea began as she was two thirds through the drink. She persisted despite this until she'd downed the last drop. As soon as Luka had set down the cup on the desk she felt her stomach clench. Noticing the change in her facial expression Professor Snape handed her a bucket. Once more Luka's stomach emptied itself. After she'd finished she uncapped a small vial of Stomach Settling Solution.

"What is that Miss Pearson?" Professor Snape enquired icily, it seemed that the girl hadn't given up her hobby of extracurricular potions.

"Something to settle my stomach sir. Last time I had cramps later on at night so I didn't sleep too well," Luka replied after sipping the orange mixture.

Professor Snape watched, it seemed that her body could distinguish between potions as this one stayed in its intended place. It was a pity that most ingredients for stomach settling potions counteracted the effects of the memory serum. As he reached across the desk to vanish the vomit he noticed that the potion was congealed and black once more.

"Did you see anything else this time?" Professor Snape drawled.

"Yes sir. It was more fuzzy this time though. It was dark and the place looked like a dungeon, there were manacles and the only light was coming from the cracks in the doorway," Luka frowned as she continued, "there was something else there too. Movement from the other end of the room but the only thing I could make out were two glowing red eyes. Then the image shifted and it kinda looked like the insides of an operating theatre. There were beds around me and racks of instruments on the walls. I could hear voices but they were muffled and I couldn't see the people because my head wouldn't turn. My neck hurt,"

"Was there anything else?"

"Yes, a weird chair. It was in a large chamber and it looked like it had chains attached," Luka replied, that last image had been the strangest of all and a little intimidating.

Profesor Snape mulled over what the girl had said. The chair certainly sounded like the one in the dungeon chamber of the Wizengamot but why had she seen it? The red eyes could be Sebastian. In that case where were the dungeons? He would have to check real estate records of mid Wales to see if any manors had them, or at least recorded having them. The more he found out the more hassle he found it to be but he wouldn't stop now. The mystery was nagging at him like a mouth ulcer that wouldn't heal.

"Does your neck hurt now?" he asked.

"It did sir but now it's stopped," Luka replied, why did he want to know about that?

Professor Snape cast a diagnosis charm on the girl, it would be best to rule out any normal maladies before jumping to supernatural conclusions. There was nothing physically wrong with her apparently. That left the option of magic and he was still no closer to finding out how to reveal a contract or if Sebastian was a contract using demon for that matter. After dismissing her he returned to his thoughts, he hadn't told the headmaster about the meagre scraps of information he'd gleaned as no doubt he would scorn him for the use of potions without the consent of the girl's guardians. His predicament was made worse by the fact that he had now been through all relevant texts in the library to no avail. It looked like he would have to pay a visit to Borgin and Burkes.

XXX

Upon returning to her dormitory Luka sat down heavily on her bed. She hadn't learned nearly as much as she had hoped from these sessions with Professor Snape. Luka had had a look in the library for anything magical that existed in mid Wales that could have attracted the attention of Muggles but all she found was that there was a dragon reserve in Snowdonia. And now there was a weird dungeon? That seemed quite unrelated to the Muggles as they had gone to explore caves and she'd seen them in what looked like an ordinary home. It didn't help that Professor Snape wasn't telling her about what he thought. She knew he was formulating ideas but so far he'd told her nothing. It was quite irritating. She sighed, there was nothing she could do so she may as well get some sleep for tomorrow's lessons.


	15. Impasse

_Hi, welcome to another chapter of FID:Awakening. Thanks for the reviews, I must say that you guys are pretty wily about getting around memory blocks ^...^ but unfortunately fate (moi) has other plans for Luka. Hope you enjoy the chapter and as usual I own nothing._

Luka didn't hear from Professor Snape again until the beginning of the Easter holidays. Until then Luka had spent her free time studying or roaming around with her friends. Life at Hogwarts was much better now that they no longer had to defend themselves every five minutes. Luka especially liked spending time with the thestrals and the other magical creatures that Professor Kettleburn had. She and Lucy had even be allowed to pet unicorn foals, though Peter had had to stay back in case one of the protective mares tried to gore him and afterwards Luka had needed to keep reassuring Elise that she was still her number one pet. That and during the said roaming they had accidentally walked into the Forbidden Forest. It was quite easy really, the entire school was surrounded by woods so it was hard to tell between forbidden and not so forbidden. Sure the former looked dead and foreboding but they'd thought that it was just an older patch where everything had died off from lack of light due to the trees forming a canopy. At least out there it was Hagrid who had caught them rather than Filch. He'd let them off with a warning rather than dragging them to the nearest professor's office. Though despite all of this they still missed Colin. The little flash bulb wielding nut had worked his way into their lives and with each new magical sight they could imagine him trying to take a photograph of it. Such as the Whomping Willow which now had its limbs out of the casts.

Professor Snape on the other hand had been extremely busy. In addition to the usual flow sub-standard essays from the little bottom feeders called students he had to deal with mystery that Miss Pearson had presented him with. For the first time Borgin and Burkes could not supply him with what he required although the proprietor did swear to owl him as soon as they did. That and his check of real estate at the ministry had come to naught. Oh, not to mention when he'd gotten around to telling the headmaster about modifying the possession detecting spell to check for a contract the old man had told him that it wouldn't work on the grounds that the concepts were too dissimilar. He didn't tell Snape anything else though, apparently such contracts were a mystery to him as well. So he was quite surprised when the owl he'd hoped was from the shop keeper was actually from Luka's foster parents saying that they wanted to make an appointment for them to take her out of school for the holidays. The professor met them later that day in his office. They offered him nauseatingly false smiles and handshakes before he managed to get them seated.

"I read that you wish to remove your foster daughter from Hogwarts for the duration of the Easter holidays. Whilst I have no objections it does seem a little unusual," Professor Snape began.

"Unusual yes, but so are the current circumstances within the school," replied Mrs Pearson sweetly, plastic smile still pinned in place.

"What do you know of the incidents?" asked Professor Snape icily.

"Enough to know that it's not safe for our little girl to be here for longer than necessary. We've only been with her for a short amount of time but already we're all very close," this time it was Mr Pearson who replied.

"Yes I am curious as to how she came to be with two aurors. Do you not think with your occupation she would be better off with other guardians? I wonder what her parents would have said about the arrangement," continued the professor, thinking that he may as well try and get some information whilst he could.

"Our occupation has little bearing on our ability to raise a child, if anything it teaches us that every moment is precious. As for her parents, they are in state no state to offer any opinion," replied Mr Pearson coldly as his mask slipped.

"I meant no offence," lied Professor Snape, perhaps if he pushed a little more they would break, "it is just that since her parent's unfortunate passing it would be a pity if she got attached to you and then you too were snatched away. Speaking of the deceased, what did happen to them? From what I have heard Miss Pearson has no recollection of the events-"

"And that is how it will stay!" said Mr Pearson said suddenly causing his wife to touch his hand gently as if to comfort him, "Those memories will cause her only pain. They will remain sealed until she is old enough to deal with them. You are not to interfere," he snarled.

Professor Snape sat back to silently enjoy his triumph. Evidently Mr Pearson was the weaker of the two. Now just to see how much he would crack...

"Oh, do you know a man called Sebastian? Apparently she has dreams about the man; tall, black hair and red eyes," the professor continued, his very finest look of innocent enquiry on his face. He watched their reactions with utmost care. By the nervous look they shared it was apparent that they knew who he was talking about but he would have to slow down from here on in, he didn't want them to clam up.

"If you are done with overstepping your boundaries," the professor raised an eyebrow at the man's comment, "we would like to collect our foster daughter,"

"Very well, she should be just outside. I arranged for her to come a few minutes after you arrived," replied Professor Snape.

"Then I will collect her. Rose?" he asked as turned to leave.

"One moment dear. I have something I wish to discuss with the professor here," she replied in a saccharine sweet voice. After her husband closed the door behind him she turned to the professor her smiling façade slowly melting away. She pulled an official looking document from her purse and handed it to Professor Snape.

"I think you will find that this satiates your appetite for information," she said, her smile becoming increasingly unpleasant.

Making sure that a mask of perfect indifference was set on his face Professor Snape broke the wax seal and read the document. He was shocked at what he found, the ministry had known his intentions despite his attempts to hide them. The document was an injunction forbidding him from looking into the girl's case further at the ministry, to do so he would risk imprisonment in Azkaban. In addition, the document was a magical gagging order blocking him from telling anyone about the injunction. With this his body would betray him every time he tried to communicate that piece of information. The parchment was signed by not only the two aurors who had sat before him but Rufus Scrimgeour and Cornelius Fudge as well. As he looked over the signatures he felt the magic take hold of him before the document curled up and burned before his eyes. The professor levelled his gaze at the auror to see her with a rictus grin smeared across her features.

"You should learn to keep your curiosity at bay _professor_," the grin widened, "and now you're alone and impotent. Not even the Chief Warlock of the Wizengamot knows about this or will know now that the gagging order is in place. We couldn't have you telling tales out of class to the headmaster...though how long he remains in his post remains to be seen. Your friend Malfoy has been agitating quite a lot for his dismissal you know," she paused momentarily, "Now I must be off, let this be a lesson to you that _in loco parentis_ only applies at school. Beyond these walls you are out of your jurisdiction you vile piece of Death Eater trash," she said sweetly as she exited Professor Snape's office.

For once Professor Snape was speechless. Those self-assured swines really thought they had won. It was true that he could no longer ask questions at the ministry and he couldn't tell anyone about the situation but their's was not a complete victory. They hadn't stopped him from making enquiries outside of the ministry like in Borgin and Burkes. It was simply a matter of going through underground channels slowly, patiently and persistently. He was the head of Slytherin after all, if he could manage this much what sort of teacher was he?

XXX

Luka thought it was odd that her foster parents wanted her out of the school over the holidays. They had to be up to something after all they'd never even smiled at her genuinely. She tried to act happily when her foster father came out of Professor Snape's office. He looked angry but a smile was swiftly pasted on face as his eyes fell upon her.

"Luka! There you are my girl, how have you been?"

Eugh, the false sincerity made her want to retch but she had to put on a brave face.

"Hi Dad, I've been fine. How are you and Mum?" she asked smiling.

"We've been fine honey. Work's getting a little hectic though so for most of the holiday you will have to amuse yourself. Is that ok?"

"Yeah, I have Elise to play with and I have homework to be getting on with," Luka replied, in truth she was happy to get away from them. Plus if they were busy at the office perhaps she could have another look at the trunk.

"That's good. Has your defence against the Dark Arts class improved yet? I remember you writing about your professor," Jacob continued.

"He just gets us to recite his books. We haven't learned any defensive spells or even tactics about how to get out of a fight," this time Luka didn't have to act, Professor Lockhart was still the grinning twit he was at the start of term. Then before Luka could say anything else her foster mother came out to greet her. She looked smug, like the cat who'd got the cream. That worried Luka, had the woman done something to Professor Snape? Despite all his bluster and sarcasm Luka felt that he was actually a nice man. After all he'd been helping her with her memories and patted her on the back when she was sick.

XXX

When they got home the adults sent Luka upstairs straight away to unpack. She got out all her textbooks but made sure that her Mum's chemistry book and photos were still well hidden under her school robes in her trunk. She didn't want her foster parents to find out about them. After finishing that task and making sure Elise was settled she started to head back downstairs. Her sock muffled footsteps must have been quiet indeed for her foster parents continued their discussion as if she wasn't there. Luka listened to their conversation from the corner of the stair case.

"So you delivered it Rose?" asked Jacob in a businesslike tone.

"Yes, he won't be able to interfere anymore but we still don't know how much he learned. The ministry should have never reinstated the prohibition against using the unforgiveable curses. The Cruciatus or Imperius would have come in useful," she replied her voice equally devoid of all emotion.

Now sitting on the stairs Luka had to silence a gasp. Who were they talking about? She hoped they didn't mean Professor Snape. Luka didn't know what the unforgiveable curses were exactly but she knew they were unpleasant.

"That would have been foolish Rose. That doddering old man has been protecting him since the war and will continue to do so. That and he is probably adept at throwing off the Imperius since he used it himself when he was doing the bidding of You-Know-Who. Honestly having such a man teaching children is an abomination but the injunction and gagging order will have to suffice," Jacob said in a spiteful reply.

"Do you think he got around to talking to Luka?"

"She knows nothing. They made sure of that. She knows nothing and is nothing," came Jacob's reply which was followed by a callous laugh. Rose's low cackle then joined it.

On the stairs Luka felt sick. Slowly she made her way back to her room making sure that she wasn't heard. As she sat dazed on her bed an echo came to her; _'__I hear that sometime foster parents do _unforgiveable_ things to the children in their care'_. The use of unforgiveable curses, is that what he had meant? Luka would have to have a talk with Professor Snape when she got back to Hogwarts.

XXX

The holidays passed relatively uneventfully. Luka did her work and went skating. It was interesting to talk to her Muggle friends. They all thought she was in a grammar boarding school so they kept bombarding her with questions. Luka tried to answer them as best as she could without telling them the complete truth. It wasn't until the weekend that she noticed that she'd lost time. It started off as taking naps or going to bed early but she'd been losing a couple of hours a day. Luka had no memory of what had happened and she discounted the notion of sleep as she didn't feel rested at all. The worst came when she thought that she had dried blood under her fingernails. Rose said it was just red velvet cake mixture that had got stuck when she scrubbing the bowl after they'd made cupcakes. In her state of paranoia Luka didn't believe this. Sure they now had two dozen cupcakes sitting on the cooling rack but she had no memory of making them. Feeling desperate she wrote a quick note to Professor Snape asking if she could talk to him when she returned to Hogwarts. Elise came back with no reply. Was he just being himself of had her foster mother done something to him? Luka knew she would have to wait until she went back to school to find out. Until then she'd wait for her foster parents to leave her to her own devices so she could have a look at the trunk. Finally on the day before she was to leave they both left for work, up till then one had been in the house at all times. As soon as the front door was closed Luka dashed downstairs for the key. This time as well as grabbing the key she decided to take the first steps to making a duplicate. After unlocking the trunk she enfolded the key in the putty one of her friends from the skate park had given her and let it set whilst she rifled through the chest as Elise stood guard. She had a closer look at the laptop this time to see if she could remember the password but to no avail. Aware that time was precious she put it to one side and continued her search. Luka quickly emptied the trunk and began to look at the other books when something shiny caught her eye. It was wedged in the cracks at the bottom of the trunk but Luka managed to pry it out. It was a ring. Gold? No, brass. As she inspected it closer she could see the infinity symbol engraved on it. That and it felt familiar and magical. However no memories revealed themselves. Sighing Luka pocketed the ring and repacked the trunk. Carefully pulling away the putty to release the key Luka locked the trunk before heading downstairs to put the key back in its place. It was paramount that her foster parents remained oblivious.

XXX

It was with a mixture of happiness and unease that Luka returned to Hogwarts. Her arrival was met by Professor McGonagall. Luka frowned slightly, where was everyone? It was Sunday so people should be out but the entrance hall was deserted. And why was Professor McGonagall here? If any of the teachers were to greet her it should have been Professor Snape. Luka felt her worry increase, perhaps her foster mother had done something bad to him after all.

"Good afternoon Miss Pearson, before you go to your dormitory we need to discuss something," started Professor McGonagall sadly, "during your absence there was another attack. Professor Dumbledore has left and there are now new safety measures in place. There is a six o'clock curfew and you will be escorted between classes by a teacher. During class you will not be allowed to go to the bathroom unaccompanied by a teacher and during breaks it is advisable to go back to your common room. If however you need to go to library it is advised that you go in groups of no less than five,"

Luka stood dumbstruck for a moment. There had been another attack?

"Another attack? Are my friends... is Professor Sna-"

"Your friends are alright. As is Professor Snape," Professor McGonagall added with a slight smile, she'd never seen a student worry about him before.

"Thanks Professor for telling me," Luka replied as she sighed with relief as she began to drag her trunk to the dungeons under the watchful eye of Professor McGonagall.

XXX

"I don't see why you couldn't have escorted her yourself Severus. After all she is a member of _your_ house," said Professor McGonagall sharply as she cornered Professor Snape in the staff room.

"I have already given my reason. I was busy and had no time to explain the situation yet again. No doubt given her age she would have wanted to be coddled as well," Professor Snape snapped.

"You're wrong she didn't want to be coddled. For her age she took the news quite well although she was worried about her friends...and you," she added quietly.

Professor Snape's head shot up so that he could look her in the eye. Surely he had just imagined that whisper but if he had why were all the faculty members watching his reaction so intently?

"What?" he managed to gasp as he schooled his face back into the mask of indifference he usually wore.

"She was worried about you Severus. Right after asking about her friends she asked about you. You know, in a few years you might have to fend off a schoolgirl's crush," Professor McGonagall said as she patted him softly on the shoulder. She couldn't help but smile at the look of shock on Severus' face. Humour was hard to come by at Hogwarts now so she didn't feel remorseful at gently poking fun at her former student. Besides they had all been there, fending off students was pretty much a rite of passage for teachers.

Still sitting in the battered armchair Professor Snape tried to think of swift retort but his mastery of the English language deserted him. He was left gaping in shock knowing full well that he was the source of smiles on his colleagues' faces. Damn that little chit, she was nothing but trouble!

"Now, now Severus you need not look so surprised," Eugh, Gilderoy was moving to sit next to him, "I am sure Miss Pearson is not the first person to fall for your dark charm," What? "After all, despite your cold demeanour I am sure to someone of the right persuasion you are quite handsome,"

Oh Merlin no! Was Lockhart gay?

"Go away Lockhart I'm trying to read," he snarled.

"Oh but Severus. I'm just trying to impart some of my wisdom. The trick is to be caring but to let them down gently. Take all those valentines I received, say it was a pity she didn't realise earlier isn't it? You could have received a singing valenti-"

"I assure you Gilderoy that if _anyone_ had been foolish enough to send me one of your singing dwarves I would have found out who they were and personally made sure they were punished for making inappropriate suggestions to a teacher," Professor Snape hissed as he fixed the irksome blonde with a glare, alas though it had no effect.

"Severus! That's no way to treat a young lady! Now take young Miss Granger, when she was ill I wrote her a get well card. It's the little things you see..." continued Lockhart oblivious that Professor Snape had tuned out and was now glaring at the witch who'd set the idiot on him.

Across the room Professor McGonagall felt the cutting look of the Potions Master. Looking to see that Gilderoy had now attached himself to the young man and was now taking it upon himself to give him some advice she had to admit she felt a little guilty. She hadn't anticipated the fool's reaction.

XXX

In the Slytherin dormitory Lucy filled Luka in on what had happened. A Gryffindor and a Ravenclaw were attacked leading to Professor Dumbledore's suspension and Hagrid being dragged off to Azkaban. Luka couldn't believe that Hagrid was to blame for the attacks he may have an interest in unusual animals but he wouldn't try to hurt people. As she laid down to rest Luka sighed, the curfew and movement restrictions meant she couldn't brew any more potion. The last time she'd tried to brew in the dormitories she'd nearly gassed them all out. That and it would be difficult to talk to Professor Snape. Thinking how she would get past the obstacles in front of her she fell into an uneasy slumber.

It turned out to be impossible to get to Professor Snape. He hardly spoke to her in class and he would swiftly lead them back to their common room before sweeping off. He was always too quick to catch. Furthermore, since they had to move around in large groups she couldn't get to his office on her own despite its close proximity to the common room. Luka contented herself by studying hard for the June exams, practicing more advanced charms with Lucy in their dormitories and playing her guitar. Using a silencing charm she could have the amplifier on as high as she wanted without disturbing anyone.

A week before the exams the school's atmosphere was as tense as ever. Only the blonde git Malfoy seemed to be enjoying himself everyone else was subdued and worried if they were to be next to be attacked. This morning Elise decided to visit Luka at the breakfast table. She provided a good diversion for the two young Slytherins as they petted and fed the owl various tidbits. Elise's arrival also gave Luka an idea. She scribbled a quick note asking Professor Snape to see her during lunchtime and handed it to Elise when Lucy wasn't looking telling the owl to give it to him later so other people wouldn't see. Before long they were being shepherded to class.

As he lead his batch of morning dunderheads to the dungeons Professor Snape was surprised to to find himself ambushed by an owl, Miss Pearson's owl. Seeing him come through the corridor it launched itself at him from an archway. The pesky bird perched on his shoulder offering him the note it held in its beak. He took it and silenced the mutterings of his class with a glare. Continuing on his way to the classroom he opened the note and read it as he walked. It was from Miss Pearson asking him again to meet her. Again he would do his best to get out of it. After all there was nothing he could tell her, the gagging order would require a counter order from the Wizengamot for it to be lifted.

XXX

Luka didn't expect a reply to her note. Professor Snape hadn't replied to the first one so why should he answer this one? As she sat down to lunch she noted exactly when the professor left his seat at the high table. After going back to the common room with Lucy and the rest of the Slytherins Luka decided to put her plan into action. She could just about perform a Disilusionment charm on herself. Not a very good one, to be reasonably camouflaged she had to be amidst shadows. For this reason she was very happy she lived in the dungeons. Luka first excused herself from Lucy by saying she was going to the toilet. As she turned the corner to her supposed destination she glanced around before giving herself a tap on the head with her wand and reciting the spell. Looking down she saw the desired result. Instead of the perfect camouflage of the charm she had a smudged version but it would do. Swiftly and as silently as she could manage she slipped back into the common room and out of the portrait hole. Luka then scurried to Professor Snape's office. Only when she stood outside the door did she remove the charm. Knocking on the door she waited for a sign that told her to enter.

Professor Snape never expected the girl to be so bold as to come to his office, then again she was in his house for a reason... Hearing the knock he bade the person to enter and raised his eyebrows upon seeing who it was who'd interrupted his solitude. Miss Pearson was standing in the door way, alone he noted unhappily. Closing the door she looked nervous, at least it appeared she had some sense.

"What are you doing here _alone _Miss Pearson, you aren't supposed to wander the corridors unaccompanied," he drawled whilst simultaneously hoping that Minerva had been wrong at the supposed crush.

"Sorry sir but I had to come. I heard my foster parents talking about meeting and I was slightly worried," she said nervously.

Great, thought Professor Snape I really am dealing with a soppy schoolgirl.

"My foster mum said that she wanted to use either the Imperius or Cruciatus curse on you," the girl continued.

Well that would explain the worry but why would they go to such extreme, and illegal, measures? They had done what they wanted.

"But she didn't because the aurors' ability to use them had been taken away. They said they'd used a gagging order on you. I asked Lucy and Peter and they said that it would stop you telling anyone about the injunction. I don't know what an injunction is but I can tell Professor McGonagall about it so she can tell the headmaster. I figured since he's the Chief Warlock of the Wizengamot he could help you," she said swiftly.

So, the girl had just wanted to help him after all. Professor Snape was about to reply when he felt his body move forward of its own accord. Damn, that wasn't a mere gagging order it was a Compulsion Curse! As he felt his hand reach for his wand he realised that the curse not only kept him silent but compelled him to silence those who would break the silence for him. He had to fight it! He tried to communicate with his eyes hat she needed to leave although he knew that it would be to no avail. He knew the castle far better than she did and he would not cease to hunt her now that the curse was active within him.

"Professor?" Luka asked worriedly, the professor was moving towards her slowly and his limbs were stiff and jerking as if he was resisting the movement. He looked like a broken clockwork doll.

Stupid girl why wasn't she leaving? She just stood there looking at him.

"Professor are you alright sir?" she asked timidly. Something was definitely wrong, even if she'd irritated him he would have answered by now. Luka's eyes widened in surprise as he pulled his wand from his robes and pointed it at her.

"_Obliviate!"_


	16. Welcome back

_Hello everyone. Thanks for thereviews. Unfortunately Luka doesn't manage to dodge but something else happens. The bit in bold is taken directly from PoA so I don't own it, or anything else for that matter. Before anyone says I know that snakes don't have eyelids but I'm working with the film version of the basilisk. Hope you like the last chapter of_ this_ story._

As the spell hit her her once bright green eyes dulled and Luka fell to her knees as a prime example of post obliviation daze. In front of her Professor Snape lowered his arm, the curse now satisfied. Despite his reputation for sadism towards his students he felt no satisfaction at bewitching the young girl. She had just wanted to help him as he was in no position to help himself. Professor Snape cursed himself for not having the sense to scan the document for magic before opening it, all of this could have been easily prevented. Feeling the beginnings of guilt starting to swirl in his gut he bent to face his student eye to eye. Her eyes were lifeless and unseeing. The professor summoned some calming potion from his quarters as it had a strong sedative effect and poured a measure of it down the student's throat. He would take the girl to Madam Pomfrey telling her that recent events had been too much for the student to bear. He groaned as he realised he would have to tell Miss Pearson's friend about what happened. If word got out that she was missing without her friend's knowledge then the school rumour mill would go into overdrive. Muttering about the students' overactive imaginations he picked Luka up and went through the Floo to Madam Pomfrey's office. Thankfully the matron accepted his lie and didn't go into medical shrew mode. The professor then left as swiftly as he had arrived.

Luka woke up dazed in the early hours of the morning. The last thing she remembered was Professor Snape raising his wand...she choked back a sob as other images and sounds flashed before her mind._ Obliviate_ hadn't rid her of her memories as intended. Quite the opposite. The spell was too familiar as it was what had given her amnesia in the first place. Slowly tears started to fall from Luka's eyes as she relived the events of the past, they had been far from pleasant at the time but seeing them now through new eyes magnified the horror one hundred fold. She curled into a ball to mourn all that had been taken from her; her name, friends, family...everything. Luka cried herself back to sleep.

At around eight o'clock Luka was woken up by Madam Pomfrey for breakfast. The matron was shocked by the girl's appearance. When Severus had brought her in she had been sleeping peacefully but now she looked like she'd been up half the night crying. During their short conversation Luka lied and told the matron that she really quite all right, it wasn't just Professor Snape who had been gagged. Madam Pomfrey however wouldn't have any of it and ordered her to stay in bed for the day just in case. Walking away Madam Pomfrey shook her head the girl looked so pale and her eyes were dead, she was in no state to return to class. She would definitely need to have a chat with Severus, she had a feeling he wasn't telling her everything.

Back in bed Luka sighed. She'd shed all her tears earlier and now she just felt empty except, of course, for the pain. She reached for her rucksack that was on the bedside cabinet and rummaged for the pain relieving potion. Her mind felt as if it was being torn to pieces and her neck was convinced it was encased in a collar of needles that pierced through her skin into the tender tissues beneath. Luka hadn't told Madam Pomfrey of the pain because she wished to get back to work as soon as possible. Oh the irony, after feverently wishing to regain her memories she now desperately desired to distract herself from them. To that end she fished out one of her textbooks, quill and parchment and started on her homework.

XXX

Madam Pomfrey tracked down Professor Snape during the second lesson period of the day. He was sitting in his usual armchair in the staff room with his back to everyone. The old witch pursed her lips and strode across the room so that she was standing in front of the head of Slytherin. Seeing that he was pretending to ignore so that he could continue reading the matron plucked the book from his hands and set it down on a nearby table with a thump.

"I would like a word with you Severus," she said although the man in front of her knew what she really meant was 'I'm going to lecture/interrogate you Severus', "what did you do to that young girl?"

"What do you mean?" surely she hadn't sensed the obliviation, if she had he was done for. There was no way for him explain his actions.

"When you brought her in you said that recent events had been too much. What did you mean?"

"Exactly that. She came to my office overcome with worry so I gave a powerful calming potion,"

"Severus, that girl looks like she's been in a war zone. That's not a normal reaction to stress," continued the matron.

"You mean that girl Minerva was talking about a few weeks back?" great Lockhart was sticking his oar in.

"You mean Miss Pearson?" asked Madam Pomfrey.

"I don't know her name but Minerva said that one of the Slytherin girls has a crush on Severus," chirped Lockhart as Professor Snape began to blush, this was all going downhill so fast...

"Severus you didn't!" hissed the matron.

"I didn't what?" asked Professor Snape incredulously, what was the harridan on about?

Apparently though Lockhart and the other staff, all witches, who were in the room did know what Madam Pomfrey was suggesting.

"How could you Severus?" cried Professor Sprout.

"What are you harpies on about?" retorted Professor Snape.

"She confessed her feeling and you gave her the calming potion to keep her quiet. Don't try and deny it Severus. After all, why would a girl wander the castle alone nowadays? And how dare you call me a harpy!" shrieked Madam Pomfrey.

For a moment Professor Snape just gawped as he tried to process the accusations during which time he was heckled from all sides by his outraged colleagues.

"No such thing happened," he snarled finally, "she came on her own to my office alone so her house mates wouldn't think she was weak. During the discussion she got upset so I gave her the calming potion. I then delivered her to you Madam Pomfrey," at this point Lockhart looked as if he was about to interrupt, "Gilderoy if you _dare_ suggest I write Miss Pearson a get well card I will hex you into oblivion,"

Luckily, for Professor Snape at least, the matron seemed to accept his explanation and exited the staff room leaving him with the murmurs. Damn it! Why couldn't there be more men in the faculty?

XXX

Over the course of the week Luka could feel the old, colder personality begin to displace the one that had been formed after her initial obliviation. It started as a marked increase in vocabulary and increased maturity in her writing style that she initially noticed whilst practicing essay questions. Whilst it was disquieting it was nice to exercise her vocabulary to its full extent. Sebastian would be proud of her ability. At that her thoughts were swiftly brought back to the demon. What was she to think of him now? He was her master but he had tricked her in the past. Thinking about the past from her new perspective just lead to further confusion. Sure he had trained her and couldn't lie but he exploited the ambiguity of the English language. Not to mention the fact he'd originally thought of her as dinner despite the fact she'd helped him escape which had led to the contract being established in the first place. That reminded her of the last order he had given her. The only reason that she hadn't been compelled to return to him when the memory of it became clear was because he hadn't set a time limit. As she touched the glamoured contract seal she made up her mind; the longer she left it the more the contract would niggle at her and the greater the risk of her 'foster parents' discovering that she had recovered her memories. Their reaction would be terrible indeed. Luka sighed as she looked at the discarded textbooks that lay on her bed. There was really no choice in the matter, she had to go back to Sebastian and get stronger. She would have to look for him in the summer holidays, it was just a case of how to get to him. Odds are he would be where he was before she was obliviated. It made no sense for Sebastian to move since he wanted Luka to find him. Luka shook her head before putting her books away for the next day. Before sleeping she took some more pain reliever. Since regaining her memories her head had been aching pretty much none stop which was understandable since it had a lot of healing to do.

The next morning Professor McGonagall made an unusually happy announcement. The Mandrake Draught was ready and the petrification victims would soon be up and about. The thought of Colin scurrying around with his camera once again brought smiles to Luka and Lucy's faces. Their happiness was short lived though as their first lesson was History of Magic. The day worsened further when their lesson after break was called off as they were led to their common room. Once all the Slytherins were assembled Professor Snape entered through the portrait hole and addressed them.

"Silence the lot of you! I regret to inform you that this is the last night you will be spending in Hogwarts. A student has been taken into the Chamber of Secrets and so the school will be closed. You are to pack your things immediately, the Hogwarts Express will be taking you all back to London first thing tomorrow morning. Under no circumstance are any of you to leave the safety of the common and dormitories until I come to escort you to dinner. That is all," he announced in a clipped tone before sweeping back out.

Initially there was mutterings and the beginning of a panic until the prefects ordered everyone to start packing. Lucy was worried, there weren't many other schools of magic in Europe. The nearest was the Beauxbatons of France but that was a girls only school so Peter couldn't attend. Luka replied by telling her that their parents could always teach them. That seemed to reassure Lucy somewhat and she was further heartened when Luka promised to write to her with Elise.

As Luka packed she felt a glimmer of happiness amongst the sadness. She could go to Sebastian sooner and hopefully with the school closed Professor Snape would no longer try to find out about her. If her deduction was correct the Compulsion Curse kicked in because she was going to tell about the injunction, what exactly the injunction pertained to was unknown so they may not have sealed off all routes of enquiry. He was already too involved and Luka bitterly regretted it. The more he knew the more danger he was in.

XXX

It was just past half ten and all the girls in Luka's dormitory were engaged in a game of Exploding Snap when they were interrupted by the female prefect. The girl who was usually stoic and cold was now babbling like a school girl after her first kiss. The perpetrator had been caught, they were staying in Hogwarts! To celebrate the joyous event a midnight feast had been swiftly organised and everyone was to attend in their pyjamas. Amidst much squealing and hugging Luka put on her shoes. As she and Lucy made their way to the great hall they remembered the Mandrake Draught and redoubled their speed. They wanted to great their friend as well as celebrate with Peter at the feast.

They met Peter when they were halfway as the Hufflepuff dormitory was also underground. He too was overjoyed that they were staying in school and the three of them continued on their way. Just as they were to go through the door they were intercepted by a small, blonde cannonball.

"Hi guys!" squeaked Colin as he was swiftly caught in a hug by Lucy.

"You're ok! What happened to you?" asked Luka who was as happy as Lucy but not as effusive.

"It was a giant snake! I tried to take a photo but apparently the film burnt," Colin replied seeming more sad about the fate of his film than about what happened to him.

Luka stood in thought for a second. A giant snake that petrifies people. Only the basilisk fitted that description. She felt a pang as she knew how it had ended, the creature that had forced Hogwart's almost closure now lay slain. It was such a waste and pity. The basilisk was over a thousand years old, what tales it could have told if a Parselmouth like Harry Potter could have talked to it. Not to mention the mystery of how the basilisk was able to feed. It hadn't eaten any of the victims, perhaps it had lived in the forest. But still it was a cold blooded animal and this was Scotland, then again with its size maybe the weather didn't have as much effect as the smaller the surface area to volume ratio the slower it would cool. That hypothesis was still shaky though. She would have to ask Professor Kettleburn about it.

"-ka. Luka!?"

Luka looked up in surprise, apparently her friends had been trying to reach her for a while.

"Sorry I was just thinking," she said smiling.

"Yeah it was kind of odd how you looked all philosophical in your jammies," replied Lucy giggling. The others seemed to find it funny as they walked into the hall laughing. They all sat themselves on the very end of the house tables so they could still smile at one another although Colin did run up and interrogate Harry Potter. Apparently the entrance of the Chamber of Secrets was in Moaning Murtle's bathroom. Luka made a note of it. The feast then proceeded and after Professor McGonagall announced that there weren't to be any exams everyone cheered. The roof was raised even further when their reinstated headmaster told everyone that that fool of a professor Lockhart would not be returning. As Luka looked at the high table she thought she could see Professor Snape smiling sinisterly into his chalice. Upon seeing him Luka felt a niggling of guilt and resolved to find a way to get him out of the trouble she'd caused him. She could go to apologise to him for getting him involved but he would want an explanation which was something she couldn't give. Luka frowned, any reticence on her part would only spur him on further,he was the head of Slytherin after all. It would have to be a letter then, a nice, straight to the point, anonymous letter. She even had some Ministry of Magic stationary in the bottom of her trunk from when her foster parents gave her some to practice note making with. Luka smiled, she couldn't break his curse but she could make sure he wasn't further embroiled in her mess.

The next morning or rather later that morning, the feast had gone on until dawn, Luka made use of the day's lesson cancellations and dug in her trunk for the ministry water marked parchment. Upon finding it she did her best to flatten it and in her best calligraphy penned the following letter;

'_Dear Professor Severus Snape,_

_I know from your enquiries what it is that you seek. I implore you to look no further, the consequences you will suffer will be worse than those you have already faced. There are those in this world that will do everything in their considerable power to stop their secrets from being revealed and let me tell you from very _personal_ experience that forewarned is not always fore armed._

_Yours most sincerely,_

_Anon'_

There that should do it, hopefully. She would send it with one of the school owls later that day. Until then she would study and more importantly ask Lucy about magical forms of transport. She would need to get to Sebastian by means quicker than a train if she was to keep her foster parents in the dark. Oh, and she wanted to pop in and look at the Chamber of Secrets.

After a good half hour of painstakingly changing her magic's frequency to match that of the lock Luka was faced with the descent into the chamber. Fortunately she'd had the sense to practice sticking charms so if she went slowly she could stick her feet and hands to the wall of the tunnel. Nervously making her way down Luka cursed the edict that first years weren't allowed brooms. Finally though she made her way through the tunnel network and into the chamber itself. It was certainly an impressive construction. A walkway flanked by water and stone snakes lead to a carving of Salazar Slytherin and the corpse of his faithful pet. As Luka moved towards the snake she paused to take in her, the basilisk was evidently female as there was no crimson plume, appearance. Her armoured scales were a beautiful shade of green, the same shade as the Slytherin banner noted, and her size was truly impressive. Professor Kettleburn had told her, after initially getting quite flustered about her curiosity about the basilisk, that members of the species could be put into suspended animation to extend their lifetimes. They truly were most fascinating creatures. Luka edged further forwards and surveyed the damage. Both eyes were punctured and she had a single stab wound in the top of her head. Luka looked through the mouth, the entry wound was here. Harry Potter had put himself in a most foolish position it appeared, he could have been easily wounded. Luka's eyes flicked to the snapped fang, he had been wounded after all. How on Earth did he survive? The only antidote was phoenix tears. Shaking herself out of her stupor Luka got to work and extracted the bit of tissue that had been one of the reasons for her going down there in the first place. After her task was complete she began putting the queen of serpents to rights. At present she was lying on her back with her mouth agog. Such a pose did not befit a majestic creature such as she. With great effort Luka rotated the serpent so that she was lying on her belly as she would have done in life. Blood was then cleansed from her eyes and the lids closed. Luka knew that she couldn't cast a stasis charm over such a vast area so she settled for a charm that would nullify the smell of decay, after all the chamber could be of use as a secret potions laboratory next year. The young witch then paused to take a small break before casting a glamour over the corpse, the body itself couldn't be preserved but the glamour would preserve the image like the stone effigies of medieval knights. At this Luka smiled, it reminded her of what Sebastian had said about his relationship with Ciel prior to the latter becoming a demon. Rethinking his words she came up with the basilisk's version. Even after her master's demise, the decline of pureblood dogma and the hundreds of years that had slipped by, here she had remained surrounded by countless, rodent, corpses until called upon by her master. Despite the injuries she suffered her loyalty to Slytherin only ended when the final checkmate was called. Sniffing slightly Luka gave the snake one last pat before turning to leave. She hated to be so maudlin but fragments of her obliviated personality remained and she had always like animals. Glancing down at herself she sighed, she would most certainly need a bath after getting out.

As everyone sat down to dinner Luka was happy to see that the delivery owl was making his way in as per instructions. Now the task was for her to act naturally so Professor Snape wouldn't be suspicious. It was quite easy as she listened to Lucy babble on about her day, apparently Colin had revived the spirit of the Spanish inquisition. Lucy said that he hadn't stopped questioning her and Peter about what had happened in his absence. It was good to hear that he hadn't been traumatised by his experience.

At the high table the teachers were surprised by the appearance of the lone owl. In particular Professor Snape was curious when the bird came to land in front of him. He took the proffered letter and opened it. It was from the ministry, or at least the parchment was. As he scanned the brief letter he frowned. How could anybody know? Was the ministry _that_ prone to gossip? The professor folded the letter and placed it in his pocket before his eyes flicked to the first year who had started his search. She seemed to be engaged in conversation with her friend, though every now and then the Gryffindor boy Creevey would chip in from behind them.

"I see you're watching that Pearson girl. Weird one she is," commented Professor Kettleburn around a sizeable piece of steak and kidney pie.

"What makes you say that?" asked Professor Snape.

"She came to me today asking about basilisks. She wanted to know how a cold blooded creature could have survived for so long what with the cold and a meagre food supply. True she usually asks questions about magical creatures and normally it's not the small stuff like puffskeins but I thought that today it was odd. Not to mention in bad taste," replied the disfigured professor.

"What sorts of animals does she usually ask about?"

"Dragons, griffins, kelpies to name a few, and of course the thestrals. They really like her, even the foals run up to her now. That said she was attached to the chickens as well wasn't she Hagrid?"

"What did ya say professor?" asked the gamekeeper.

"That girl Pearson. She liked the chickens didn't she," Professor Kettleburn repeated.

"Oh yeah. Terribly upset when the cockerels died," replied Hagrid nodding sombrely.

Fantastic thought Professor Snape. He had to deal with a student who had a similar taste in 'interesting' creatures as Hagrid though unlike the half giant she was a little bit small to deal with them properly.

XXX

It was with relief that Luka faced the last day of term. Despite the dangers presented by her foster parents she was going to see Sebastian and thanks to Peter she knew how to get to him. As they boarded the Hogwarts Express the twins and Luka chose an empty compartment. They were soon joined by the Slytherin second years, Luna and Colin who had brought a friend; Ginny. The red head was a little shy but she soon got over this as the group began to play card games.

XXX

It was in the second week that Luka put her plan into action. At the first opportunity she had emptied the trunk and shrunk the items, the Trace didn't quite work in magical households after all. Some she hid in her room whilst she put the others in her coat pocket, these she would take with her to Sebastian. After this was complete she waited for the next day. Luka told Rose that she was going to the skate park and she wouldn't be back until evening. Her foster mother smiled and bade her good bye. Luka walked into town just as she said but she paused once she reached an empty street. Pulling out her wand she flagged down the Knight Bus, Peter had told her of its singular appearance but it was still surprising. As it screeched to a halt a young man hopped off the bus.

"**Welcome to the Knight Bus, emergency transport for the stranded witch or wizard. Just stick out your wand hand, step on board and we can take you anywhere you want to go. My name's Stan Shunpike and I'll be your conductor **today," he said.

"How much is the fare to the city centre of Nottingham?" asked Luka.

"Nine sickles but for thirteen 'choo get an 'ot chocolate," Stan replied.

"I think I'll just stick with the ride thanks," said Luka as she handed over the money, Peter had told her about the quality of driving on the Knight Bus and accordingly she'd taken a potion to combat nausea.

After taking the silver Stan let her on and spoke to the driver. Fifteen minutes and numerous stops later Luka hopped off the bus to find herself on Friar Road. Quickly she moved through the familiar streets until she found the Funtom café where Ciel had had Sebastian working prior to her obliviation. Luckily the establishment was nearly empty and she could see the demon behind the counter. Feeling nervous Luka opened the door and entered. Sebastian didn't turn immediately at the sound of the door bell. When he finally turned Luka was a few feet from the counter. With his eyes upon her and a smirk on his lips he lifted his right hand to his chest and bowed.

"Welcome back, my lady,"

_Ok I know cliffhangers are a pain *fends off lynch mob* but the mystery bit of the story will be over soon. It continues in the sequel FID: So what now?, the mystery will conclude just after the second full moon of term. I am trying not to drag it on for too long but I wanted to included Prof Lupin but have time for character development. The story will be M rated as there will be gore and Luka's foster parents go nuts with a Howler. I'll upload the first chapter as soon as possible, hope to see you there :)_


	17. Announcement

Hi guys! The first three chapters of the sequel are now up ^...^ Please review ok?


End file.
